SAO1 Encroaching Shadows
by veidin
Summary: 10,000 players trapped in a video game. A small group of players push ahead of the rest progressing through the game leaving behind thousands who can only hope and wait. This is the story of some of those players and the secrets they uncovered during their time in Aincrad
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone and thank you for taking a look at this story. I wanted to say first off that this story follows original characters for the most part. I don't want to change or interfere with the way SAO is currently being written. The story I'm writing will be following the Progressive series and work independently from the events in those light novels. If OC type stories aren't of interest to you then this might not be very entertaining. Otherwise thank you for taking the time to read and I hope you find it enjoyable. I don't know how long this will take or how long it will be, but my writing tend to be quite long. Here goes! -V

 **Sword Art Online**

 **Encroaching Shadows**

 **Chapter 1**

Sunlight streamed through the window of the second floor room. The room itself was situated on the eastern side of the building which meant the early morning sun would bathe the room in a warm glow. On a normal day one could say that the atmosphere from such a morning would be a marvel. A strange concept since the sun rose every day and it was an event that was taken for granted. What made it such an incredible thing now was that the light, and even the warmth was artificial.

Jayce blinked his eyes against the sun taking a deep breath before sitting up. The first time he had seen the sun had been one of the most memorable moments of his life. Everything he saw on that first day was like a dream. It all looked and felt so real regardless that it was only data being sent through his brain. If only this was a normal day, he could appreciate the technology that allowed him to be a part of this world. Almost three weeks ago he experienced what would be his last "normal" day.

Three weeks ago the Nerve Gear was released to the public. A headset that allows brain to computer connection. Alongside its release was a single program available for use. A program that in itself wasn't a completely new concept, but with the full dive technology the Nerve Gear provided, it was revolutionary. The program was a VRMMO called Sword Art Online. A fantasy MMO game where users would be able to experience all of it in a virtual environment that linked all of their senses.

During use the body of the individual would fall unconscious until they logged off. Or until someone removed the device from their head. Their entire consciousness was transferred through the connections of the Nerve Gear into Sword Art Online. Up until that point VR technology had been immersive, but nothing like the brain to computer connection that the Nerve Gear boasted. Thus the term full dive was used when describing the use of the Nerve Gear.

Ten thousand units were manufactured and sold. A large sounding number when said aloud, but in the grand scheme of supply and demand it was a small number. Acquiring the Nerve Gear felt like winning the lottery and nearly everyone, including Jayce, unpackaged the device right away wasting no time. This was the ultimate excitement for gamers. The ability to not only play an RPG, but to live it.

Jayce placed his hands on the glass of the window looking out at the town that was just beginning to wake up. NPC's and players alike were beginning daily routines. The NPC's all wore varying expressions fitting their roles in the game world of Aincrad. It was the players he noticed that all seemed to share the same behavior. Everyone looked tired, scared, and doubtful. His reflection was visible in the glass and he couldn't deny that his own face mirrored theirs.

Turning away from the glass Jayce flicked his finger downward opening the system menu and navigated to the inventory screen. He was only wearing a pair of black shorts and t-shirt to sleep in. After tapping on a few different places on the command window a leather cuirass appeared over his chest. A pair of black pants and boots materialized on his lower half and finally a hooded cloak fluttered into existence over his armor. With a final tap he attached his sword to the belt on his waist and looked towards the door of his room.

For nearly three weeks he had used this room in the Town of Beginnings. It took all his courage to leave every day to make just enough col for food and lodging. It was all he could manage before hiding himself away in the room once more. He was lucky if he managed to earn enough to have some left over after paying for the food and room, but all that meant was that the next day he had to earn less, and so, there was never any profit.

"Have a nice day sir." Jayce gave a slight nod to the innkeeper NPC who bid him farewell. The fear was already beginning to creep into the edges of his mind now that he left the safety of the room. For now, there was nothing to worry about so long as he remained within the confines of the town, but that wouldn't work. The sense of hunger, and sleep existed within SAO, and for that he needed to earn the currency of the game, col. The only way of accomplishing that was to venture out and find the creatures generated by the game and kill them.

His hand rested on the pommel of the sword as he walked through the streets of the Town of Beginnings, as if at any moment an unseen enemy would jump from the shadows and attack. In SAO, currently, there were two types of people. Those who braved the wilds with an almost fearless nature tackling the game. A decent number of people fell into that category, but three weeks ago when the game launched they were long gone from this town. Most of them had beta tested the game and had innate knowledge at least of this portion and were able to use that knowledge to their advantage.

The other group which equated out to the vast majority were like Jayce. Too terrified to do much more than venture out to the outskirts of town. There were a large number who couldn't even bring themselves to do that. They would squat where they could and scrape together what little food available to survive just one more day. The only thing that gave Jayce enough confidence to go just a bit further was that he wasn't new to MMO games. He had played countless other standard MMO games in the past. Each had its own unique flair, but still at their core were the same. Earn experience and level up was the basis of every MMO.

Leveling up could be accomplished by either killing creatures repeatedly until enough experience had been accumulated, or by undertaking quests. Quests could involve anything and lead anywhere which inherently was dangerous. Jayce had yet to even consider trying something like that. For now, there were creatures he could fight that were of low enough strength he felt safe enough. The downside was that the creatures were of lower level than him which meant lower experience and col. Eventually as he continued to level up they would be worth nothing and he would be forced to find higher level, and therefore, more dangerous creatures.

Nearing the gate that led out of town Jayce opened his menu once more to check his skills and equipment. The iron longsword he had been using since day one had served its purpose well so far. It was the bottom tier weapon for one handed sword users and eventually it would become obsolete. MMO games were a series of progressions where you outgrew not only the creatures you fought, but also the gear you used. As time wore on and as the enemies become tougher your equipment was equally important to maintain.

"Did you hear? They're meeting soon to try it."

"Really? Where did you hear that from?

"A lot of people are talking about it. Supposedly there's a good twenty if not more players preparing for it."

"That's insane, I don't know how they can do something like that."

The pair of male players turned down a different street away from Jayce so he could no longer overhear their conversation. He understood the basic premise of their conversation. Aincrad was a series of floors, a hundred to be exact, each one blocked off by a dungeon. Somewhere within the dungeon on each floor was a boss room that needed to be cleared in order to progress. Three weeks since the release of the Nerve Gear and SAO and the first floor had not been cleared yet. It hadn't even been attempted yet.

The very thought of taking on a floor boss was not even a wishful thought for Jayce. Those who broke ahead of the rest of the player base had to be higher than level 10 already. Jayce had only hit level 4 just yesterday. He harbored a mixture of jealousy and respect for those who were pushing forward through the game. If what the two men he overheard were correct then it meant that soon, a group of players would challenge the floor's boss and if successful bring about an extreme morale boost to the entire player base.

People needed that morale boost right now more than ever. Almost 2000 players had already succumbed to the game. Either by dying to creatures in the world, fatal damage from the environment, or the most disturbing cause…suicide. Just the thought of that staggering number of deaths made Jayce's skin crawl. Spending every day fighting the creatures of the world was terrifying enough without thinking about the people who had died.

This was an MMO game so dying was always a natural part of progressing throughout these types of games. Especially in regards to boss creatures like the one that blocked passage up to the second floor. A party of players would challenge it if this were a normal desktop PC MMO and die repeatedly to learn its patterns and mechanics. It was a fun challenge that made beating it all the more rewarding. At least that was how things in SAO should have been.

Jayce stared at the wolf ahead of him that bared its fangs and lowered its top half down menacingly. He pulled the iron sword from the sheath on his hip and tried to steady his breath. Why was he so scared of a simple level 1 Grasslands Wolf? He should be having fun diving into the game without care experiencing everything it had to offer. As the wolf pounced forward into a sprint he remembered why the terror refused to release its grip on his mind.

Three weeks ago the developer of SAO removed the ability to log out of the game. Ten thousand people were trapped within the confines of the digital world called Aincrad. The only way out was to beat all one hundred floors of the game. The catch, if you died in the game the Nerve Gear would send a microwave signal to your brain killing your real life body instantly. Put simply, it was safe to say that your in game body was now your real body and the wolf charging him was no less real than if this were happening in the real world.

Jayce screamed pulling his sword back to meet its charge remembering the developer's words about SAO. "This might be a game, but it isn't meant to be played."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Dec 1** **st** **, 2022**

Character creation had been a headache to say the least. Sword Art Online boasted a skill list that seemed to stretch into eternity. Upon first creating your character you were afforded two base slots. A third was unlocked at level 6, another at 12, then 20, and finally every 10 levels after that. You could change skills at any time, but the penalty was that you would lose all progress on the skill you chose to drop in favor of another. In essence it was important to stick with what you chose and work towards unlocking further slots to increase your skill range. This was even more important now that the game had become deadly.

Jayce looked over the two he had settled on when he first began. One handed swords and Mixing were the two he chose. All skills gained experience through use beginning at 0 and working all the way up to 1000. Along the way new attacks were learned for weapons, or recipes in the case of crafting skills. It was just one more reason why dropping a skill was a serious matter. Starting over was a setback that could take large amounts of time to recover from.

He set the small glass vial down on the desk and looked at its contents closely. After setting the crude looking Beginner Mortar and Pestle down he touched the vial with his finger bringing up the item details window. The blackish blue liquid inside had settled and remained motionless as he inspected the Lvl. 1 Contact Poison carefully. Arranged further along the table were a few other vials of different colored liquids.

The Mixing skill allowed for the crafting of potions, tonics, elixirs, and on a more aggressive side, poisons. It was a skill that Jayce had always enjoyed in other games although it usually was called Alchemy or something similar. Potions were always an in demand item for all levels and more than once he had made a fortune off the craft. That had been the plan when he first created this character. Now that things had changed he spent the morning hunting the creatures outside the Town of Beginnings and his afternoons collecting plants and sorting through materials the creatures dropped on death.

At this stage in the game the recipes he had access to were very few. He could only create the most basic of potions and poisons which in the grand scheme of things did not add up too much. What it did provide, however, was valuable experience to the skill line which would allow more effective concoctions. Unfortunately, with higher level recipes meant higher material requirements. Materials that could only be found in higher level environments or off more dangerous creatures.

With a long sigh, Jayce gathered the vials and equipped them to the open slots on his belt. After a few moments to prepare himself mentally he turned and walked out of the room closing the door behind him. He had already paid the innkeeper for the night so there was no danger of anyone taking the room while he was gone. The system prevented such things from happening so it was one less thing to worry about.

He descended the stairs onto the landing at the bottom that opened into the main tavern section of the first floor. Numerous tables were scattered throughout the establishment lit by the soft glow of candles and a hearth burning in the center. It reminded him that back home it was December and as if on instinct he pulled his cloak a little tighter around his body. NPC patrons chatted idly on specific speech patterns meant to emulate a social atmosphere. A number of players also sat at tables together perhaps discussing their day, or the more common, reminiscing about the real world.

Jayce walked quietly along the wall until he reached the door of the inn and opened it, exiting out into the night of the Town of Beginnings. Already his heart was beginning to speed up. Right about now he should be locked up in his room trying to sleep. Content that he had survived just one more day. Tonight was different, however. He pulled a small book out of his inventory and flipped through the pages until he found the one he was looking for. A detailed description including pictures of a plant called Amberthorn.

According to the book, this plant only appeared during certain hours of the night. The purpose of this plant was linked to Jayce's Mixing skill. To continue gaining skill he would need to make increasingly difficult vials. Amberthorn was the rare ingredient required for Enhanced Lvl.1 Healing Potion. Healing potions were not instantaneous in SAO. Drinking one allowed your health to recover at a slow rate until full or the designated amount of health the potion level allowed was recovered. There were recipes that allowed for greater amounts to be healed or even a faster rate. An increased rate of healing was a much sought after item.

Increasing the rate at which you healed meant you could return to a fight faster, or avoid a fatal blow that a normal potion would not have been able to heal quick enough. Gaining access to a supply of potions like that would serve to create a larger safety net for Jayce. He would have to hunt harder enemies soon. There was no way around it, and he wanted to take every precaution before venturing out into unknown territory.

He closed the book which featured a very feline esque face on the cover complete with whiskers before returning it to his inventory. He touched the handle of his sword taking comfort that it was still there before heading towards the Northern exit of town. According to the guide, Amberthorn could be found relatively close, but it only appeared near Kobold Scout Camps. These camps only appeared at night and served as the initial player interaction with the enemy race called Kobolds

Small almost draconic looking humanoids that wielded crude melee weapon. Their armor was equally weak, but for someone like Jayce who had never faced one before it made him shiver uncontrollably. Until now he had hunted the wolves and boars around the Town of Beginnings. Simple creatures with very few attacks or hit points. Kobolds wielded weapons and used sword skills which made them far more dangerous. The camps should be no higher than level 3, but that was already triple the level of enemy Jayce was accustomed to.

The constant doubt and worry dragged him out of the town on this personal mission to try and make one more step forward towards self-sufficiency. He couldn't continue to survive how he had been up until this point. That was the motivational speech he continued to repeat in his head as he crested a hill and was able to look down at a small fire burning between the hill he was on and another further ahead. Three humanoid creatures milled around the fire making high pitched screeches and yelps. Above their heads Jayce could see the light red colored indicator that not only identified them as enemies, but revealed how strong they were in relation to himself.

The easiest of enemies would be a pale pink. This meant that they posed no real challenge or danger, but in turn they rewarded you with little to nothing. The more difficult the enemy the darker shade of red the cursor would become. A red so dark it could almost be called black meant certain death, so Jayce felt relieved seeing the light red color to the cursors above the Kobolds' heads. Now, the issue was the three on one odds against him.

"Probably too many to handle alone." Jayce nodded in agreement hearing the voice behind him.

"Yeah…wait…Uwah!" He turned and instantly fell backwards seeing another person standing nearby just below the top of the hill. A green cursor above the person who seemingly materialized out of nowhere meant it was another player. Long white hair was pulled back behind the person's head tied back in a ponytail. Dark colored clothing covered the body as well as a leather cuirass similar to Jayce's.

"Sorry about that." Jayce watched as a very rare Creature leaned forward offering a hand. In SAO, and most other MMO games, the population was always predominantly male. If Jayce had to guess he would say that it even went as far as 95% of all players were male. Even if the avatar was female there still tended to be a man controlling it behind the computer screen. In SAO that illusion was shattered the day they were trapped inside the game.

When the developer, in the guise of a game master, informed the entire player base that they were now hostages of Aincrad he gave everyone a single item. A mirror that revoked your user created avatar appearance and replaced it with your real life self. The Nerve Gear's sensors could identify a person's face and the initial setup called for you to calibrate the machine by touching your body in various ways that mapped your body type to the game.

Short brown hair, average height, and thin was the avatar that stared back at Jayce on that day. To be honest he was average in all ways which was neither good nor bad. He didn't stand out or draw attention and so far life had mimicked his physical self…average. The shining star of his body he was thankful for was his metabolism. Eating whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted typically led to obesity, but miraculously he maintained a thin stature. Given that he played video games regularly he was completely thankful for such a bodily function.

For an average person like Jayce, staring up into sparking silver eyes, long hair, and a beautiful face forced a non-game inflicted Stun effect. It took many moments for him to finally reach up and take her hand. An instant feeling of regret washed over him that he wore a pair of black leather gloves which made feeling the softness of her hand impossible. She seemed so calm and uncaring to what was going on around them in the world. Her mouth hovered between a smile and amusement as he regained his footing.

"I should have said something sooner. I really didn't mean to startle you like that." She said. A blade hung off her hip reaching down to just below her thigh. Too short to be a sword, but longer than a knife. A Dagger wielder then was what he figured.

"N…no problem." He muttered once more resting his hand on the pommel of the sword on his hip. The girl's eyes narrowed slightly while she stared at his face that was slightly obscured beneath the hood of his cloak. He instinctively adjusted the edges and turned away from her.

"Not from around here are you?" Her voice was soft and pleasant to listen to. Young, but mature enough that she wasn't a child. Her question would seem odd to most in this setting, but since she had been staring at him before he turned away it was clear she had noticed.

"Not exactly." His speech would be a further giveaway since he knew the language, but had a foreign accent. To someone like her she would know instantly that he was a foreigner. He felt her presence next to him and he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes suspiciously. To his surprise she didn't press the subject any further. Her voice was excited and bordering on anxious.

"So, how we gonna take em?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Up until this point Jayce had fought only when necessary. When every fight meant life or death he avoided it at all costs. Even against enemies that were significantly lower level than him there was always the chance of something going wrong. It simply wasn't worth the risk to fight indiscriminately. Even though that was counterproductive to completing the game, he simply didn't have the strength to push himself out into the world like the beta testers had done.

The girl that stood beside him with a grin on her face had to be a beta tester. It was the only explanation for her nonchalant attitude. Why else would someone seem to be enjoying themselves in this type of situation? The only problem with that theory was, if she had been a beta tester why was she still here in the Town of Beginnings? She should be further ahead with the group of people that would be tackling the boss of this floor.

"So what's the plan friend?" She asked crouching down to survey the camp below them. Jayce stared down at her still trying to gauge this girl. He bit his lower lip and swallowed before finding the words to answer her.

"I…don't need help." It was a lie of course, but he couldn't bring himself to accept this situation. It was one thing to risk his own life, but endangering another was completely out of the question. He couldn't be responsible for someone dying, not again. Dark thoughts began to swirl through his mind bringing his heartrate up dangerously high.

"Hey? It's alright." Her voice brought him back to reality, or rather back to artificial reality. The excitement was gone, replaced by genuine concern. She was looking up at him now, her silver eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"Why?" She wasn't here by chance that much was certain. There had to be something else that brought her to be here at the same time as him. Once more her lips curled up into a smile and the excitement returned to her eyes.

"The Kobolds in these camps have a chance to drop a rare dagger. I've been hunting them around here for the past few nights. No luck so far, but I'm feeling lucky tonight." Her motives made sense completely. In this game, no in this life you had to not only get stronger as a person, but continue to upgrade your equipment. Rare drops were always highly sought after since they tended to be much higher quality than store bought weapons. They also could be upgraded further than weapons like the one on Jayce's hip.

Having this girl help to handle the camp would raise the safety level significantly. It also meant they could be more efficient. There was no downside to it at all. Even if there was he doubted it would outweigh the benefits. For himself it also meant they could clear other camps and he could gain multiple Amberthorn harvest points. At this point if he made any argument against working together it would be clear that he was just being rude.

"So? Will you help me? I'd owe you big time." She asked once more and Jayce gave a quick nod relenting at last. Her smile widened as she tapped the air in front of her twice and a window appeared in Jayce's view. A party notification asking for his acceptance or denial to formally group with the white haired girl. With one last moment of hesitation he reached up and tapped the accept button.

"Jem…za. Jemza?" He said softly seeing a health bar appear under his own along with the name he had just tried to pronounce. She stood once more and held her hand out towards him.

"Yes, Jemza. Nice to meet you." Their fingers wrapped around each other's hands and shook quickly.

"Jayce." He responded still a bit nervous. He had never really conversed with any other players since being trapped here. This was the first time he had been partied with someone and had a formal conversation with an actual introduction. He scolded himself internally for being so socially awkward. The fact that the hand he held was a woman's didn't matter, he would have been just as nervous if it were a man. That's just who he was.

"Alright Jayce, I can dispatch one of the Kobolds bringing the odds even. Then we each take one and move on. Simple right?" Under the hood of his cloak he raised an eyebrow questioningly. Her voice sounded confident and the math meant that she would take two Kobolds down per camp while he was only responsible for one. It meant that she was shouldering far more risk than he was.

"Take these then." Jayce flicked his finger down opening the in-game menu and initiated a trade sequence with her. He placed a number of potions into his side and tapped the Trade button. Her eyes widened seeing the items being offered.

"Wow, that's a lot of potions. I don't have a lot, but you're…"

"I don't want your money." He interrupted her with a wave. He didn't mean for it to come off so irritated sounding, but she didn't seem to take offense. For a brief moment he thought he saw a strange look cross her face, but it was gone instantly. She tapped the button on her side of the trade window and the potions were deposited into her inventory. She began attaching them to her belt while Jayce double checked his own.

"You're an Alchemist, aren't you?" Jemza asked still looking down at herself slipping vials onto her belt.

"I guess I'd be called a Mixer." She snorted while laughing at his answer.

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'll stick with Alchemist. Mixer just sounds strange. Either way, thank you." She finished placing the liquid filled glass bottles and vials on her belt and pulled the dagger free from the sheath.

"You sure about this?" Jayce asked sliding his Iron Longsword out of the scabbard. Jemza was already walking down the hill, but turned her head back towards him flashing a wink. She crouched lower maneuvering towards one of Kobolds and it was at that point he knew her second skill.

There were two skills that worked against one another at all times. Searching was a skill that was used to locate hidden doorways, traps or even enemies. Depending on your skill level against the object or person you were looking at was the deciding factor on if you revealed it. This could be modified by the opposing skill, Hiding. Jemza, clearly had chosen that very skill along with Daggers making it possible for her to approach the camp unseen. It was only because they were in a party that he could still see her.

As she placed herself behind one of the Kobolds a bright light began to appear around her hand and dagger. She retracted the blade letting the game assisted motions kick in. This was what SAO was all about. Every weapon had its own set of abilities one could learn as their experience with the weapon grew. The lights around her hand and blade grew as she unleashed one such ability.

Sword Skills as they were called came in various designs. Some were simple damaging strikes, while others could inflict status effects. They all had cooldowns ranging from a few seconds to minutes. Regardless of the weapon type they were collectively known as Sword Skills and it was these that brought about an increased level of excitement in combat. It was unique and went further than simply letting users swing weapons wildly. It allowed elegant and devastating attacks to be performed by anyone who focused on a weapon type.

Jayce sprinted down the hill as Jemza grabbed the Kobold from behind covering its mouth with her hand and ramming her dagger though the creatures back. The action itself was pointless as the three Kobolds were linked to each other and would all become aggressive the moment their comrade was attacked. Nevertheless, the image of Jemza appearing from the shadows with her blade drawn made her look every part the assassin.

Her attack depleted the health of the Kobold and it shattered into polygonal fragments. Attacks from stealth were guaranteed critical hits and with the Kobolds already being lower level than her it was an easy one shot kill. The other two screeched loudly each leveling a spear in her direction. The closest one hopped forward jabbing the weapon forward for her chest. She spun nimbly to the right letting the tip of the weapon cut across the air where she had been standing.

"Uwah!" The second Kobold turned hearing Jayce yell out successfully drawing its attention. Gripping the spear in both hands it mimicked the other Kobold engaged with Jemza thrusting it ahead sharply. Jayce pulled his arm back activating a basic one handed sword skill Slant drawing blue lights around the blade. The assisted movement drew the sword up intercepting the spear before it could touch his body and pushed it away.

With agility matching her playstyle, Jemza danced around the Kobold she faced letting it attack before dodging. Four consecutive attacks from the creature failed to connect as she bounced on the balls of her feet. A fifth time the pole raced past her face and she rotated her body reaching out and grabbing the small creature by the neck. Her rotation continued until she was behind it with her left arm now wrapped around its throat. The dagger flashed up and plunged down into its chest from behind making it cry out violently.

Jayce ducked low to avoid the spear tip and stepped forward cutting his sword along a horizontal arc. It bit into the midsection of the Kobold sending red fragments of light into the air. It was the systems way of mimicking blood. The creature stumbled backwards, his strike having done enough damage to cause it to stumble back losing its balance. Without hesitating Jayce activated another Slant crushing the creature's neck and shattering it into pieces.

"Well done Alchemist. That was perfect." Jemza commented placing the dagger back into its sheath. She raised a hand triumphantly smiling widely towards him. Jayce stared at her blankly as her hand hung high in the air awkwardly. She jerked her head in an upward fashion refusing to lower her hand. Jayce sighed and lifted his glove up slapping their palms together. She was so carefree and fearless. Somehow she was finding enjoyment in such a simple task as this.

"Any luck?" Jayce asked crouching down between two of the shabby looking tents and plucked a small plant from the dirt. Jemza looked at the open loot window in front of her and shrugged.

"I feel lucky, but not that lucky." She answered with a laugh. He nodded in response dropping the Amberthorn into his inventory. He stood back up and turned towards her contemplating a decision mentally. At last he finally shook his head and held up his hands helplessly.

"Can't be helped then right? Let's find another." Once more he felt like he saw something in her face as he spoke. A slight glimmer in her eye, or maybe just a twitch of the mouth. Subtle changes that appeared for but a fraction of a second and then were gone. The white haired girl grinned and gave a nod.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The character screen staring back at Jayce threatened to overwhelm his already exhausted mind. What kept him barely conscious was the empty skill slot that now appeared beside his other two. After hunting Kobold after Kobold throughout the night, the white haired girl he met shrieked in glee somewhere around four in the morning. With the tap of a button she rotated her loot window around changing it to a mode where he could see. In the center of the screen in bold letters was Moonlit Silver Dirk.

An odd sensation hit him the moment he saw the item in her inventory. He had gained enough experience to not only achieve level 5, but to push past it to 6. Each camp yielded another Amberthorn and by the end he had amassed a decent quantity of the herb. What perplexed him in the moment, however, was that he didn't care about the gains he had made. There was a deep sense of accomplishment and pride that they had accomplished what they set out to do.

They had been together hunting for over seven hours, and the moment she saw the dagger she had been searching for he saw a look on her face that only served to accentuate her features further. It was one of pure elation, that in the final hours of moonlight framed her entire body beautifully. For the first time in almost a month he had forgotten the game was life or death. It was the freest he had felt in a long time.

"I really owe you one. I had a feeling about this!" She exclaimed as they walked back into the Town of Beginnings around five in the morning.

"It was nothing." With the excitement having worn off, Jayce was just trying to make it back to the inn without falling asleep in the street. Although in a virtual world, the human brain required sleep. Those feelings of fatigue were very real and it was always dangerous if you pushed too hard. Falling asleep in the wild for instance meant creatures could come upon your body and attack you while you lie there helplessly.

"Well, I guess that's it then yeah?" Why was it Jayce kept catching subtle tones and nuances that made little sense? Did she sound disappointed or was it just the fatigue?

"Mhm, I'm glad you got what you were looking for. Congratulations." Ten words. The longest sentence he had strung together in a month. Her mouth twitched in a slight smile as she looked down at the dagger on her hip.

"Yeah, well…good night Alchemist." With a wave of her hand and once more a slight sadness in her tone she headed off in a different direction than where Jayce needed to go. He watched her go for a few seconds wondering if he should have said something further. Maybe something was troubling her? He shook his head at the thought. Even if there was it wasn't his business, they had only just met anyway. A window appeared in front of him showing that their party had been disbanded.

"Good night Jemza." He said quietly. Less than twenty minutes later he was in his room staring at the open skill slot torn between sleep and deciding on what he should add. His mind went back to the white haired girl and he found himself making a noise he hadn't made since before logging into this game. A very low volume laughter at the realization that he already knew what he wanted to choose next after the past evening he just experienced. Without any further hesitation he scrolled through the list tapping on Hiding before closing the window and falling asleep.

 **December 2** **nd** **2022**

Jayce rubbed his hands together and bounced his leg anxiously as he sat on a bench along one of the side streets of town. He glanced back and forth before taking a deep breath. On the bench next to him was the same book that had guided him towards the Amberthorn last night. Another portion of the book had caught his attention, but he needed more information. Now that he had the materials to continue his Mixing it was time to look towards the other pieces of his equipment.

"Nice book ya got here!" Jayce's head snapped to his left at the open space on the bench beside him. At least, it had been open just a moment ago. Now, a short figure in a brown hooded cloak sat kicking their legs back and forth holding his book. The hood turned towards him while the book rose up until both were facing him side by side. He looked between the cartoonish feline girl on the cover of the book and the curly haired face of a girl beneath the hood. A toothy grin was plastered on her face identical to the book cover. Completing the image were three black lines traced across both cheeks like whiskers.

"You're…her?" Jayce managed to say making her double over with laughter.

"Nyahaha! One in the same! Name's Argo the Rat." Her laughter and voice matched the nickname. Nasally and ending on a slightly higher pitch. She was small and thin wearing only light clothes with no armor. She almost seemed frail, but as he looked her in the eyes he could sense an intelligence and drive he could only hope to achieve.

"You wrote this entire book? A strategy guide about quests, crafting, monster spawns? The consignment merchant had it listed for free." Conversing with Argo was different than with others. He had already heard about her and the services she provided. This wasn't a social call, nor two friends meeting. It was a business meeting and although she spoke playfully there were inner working of her mind already running full speed.

"I did." She answered with another grin. She hopped off the bench and walked around behind it leaning her rear against the bench from behind him.

"The Secret Medicine of the Forest quest…how difficult is it?" He asked. It was like going through the motions with an NPC. Maybe that was why he spoke more words to her now than even Jemza last night. This was all just formality before getting to the transaction. Argo shifted her weight and brought forth exactly what he was waiting for.

"500 col and I can tell you everything you need to know." It was a sum of money that he never had before. After last night's excursion, however, he had managed almost double that amount. He opened the trade window and sent the request to Argo with the desired price attached. She accepted pocketing the coins before turning and leaning on the bench, her face near his head.

"Northwest of here is a town called Horunka. The quest can be found there. It will take you to the nearby forest where you must obtain a rare flower. The flower only grows atop a plant creature called Little Nepenthes. They are fairly common, but finding one with the flower is very difficult. Expect a long grind until one appears." Jayce nodded sullenly at her explanation.

"Is there no alternative method to completing the quest? It's called Secret Medicine of the Forest, is there anything that could be acquired through mixing?" The girl's cheeks moved slightly like an animal making the whiskers on her face wiggle.

"Perhaps, but not at this level. The only path to completion is to find the proper creature, kill it, and acquire the flower. I advise bringing a friend with."

"Thank you for your time miss Argo." He looked over his shoulder as she pushed off the bench and stood straight. She cocked her head slightly looking at him before waving a hand dismissively.

"Thank you for your patronage. Good luck Jayce." She gave a wave and bounded off, It wasn't more than a few minutes before he realized he had never introduced himself, but she still knew his name. He looked back in the direction she had ran off, hit mouth tightening. So that was Argo the Rate, Aincrad's first Information Broker. She bought and sold information of any type and took personal pride in her ability to make a profit off it.

"A friend huh?" The words came out of his mouth, but sounded hollow. He didn't have any friends he could call on. The thought of leaving town scared him enough without considering that he would need to complete a quest. These past twenty-four hours seemed to be pushing him further than he anticipated. The fact that he was even considering this dangerous adventure had to be partially because of how well last night had gone.

" _I'd owe you big time!"_ The words flitted through his mind subconsciously. Jemza had told him that last night. Could he ask her to help? This was far more dangerous that hunting low level Kobolds at night. He certainly couldn't call her a friend. Why would she risk her own life to better him? For all the questioning he came up with, her attitude seemed to contradict all his worries.

Jayce opened the system window switching panels until he arrived on the Messaging tab. As long as they were both on the same floor and not in a dungeon he could send her a message. Since this was the only floor available and he highly doubted she would be in the dungeon that led to the boss of this floor he was confident she would receive it. A holographic keyboard materialized below his hands as he typed a quick message to her. He hovered over the Send button a bit before closing his eyes and pressing it.

He took another breath leaning back on the bench closing his eyes. A chiming noise rang in his ears almost immediately making him jump in surprise. She had already responded which made his anxiety rise as he opened the Messaging tab once more. He let out the breath he had been holding and smirked closing the window. The response had been simple and to the point. He pushed himself up and looked back towards the inn he had called home for almost a month. One foot in front of the other Jayce headed towards the Northern gate of the Town of Beginnings where a certain white haired girl would be waiting.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Horunka village was nestled within the forest Northwest of the Town of Beginnings. It was the natural next step for players after gaining all they could out of their starting location. The services provided in the Town of Beginnings were vast, showcasing all that the world had to offer. Blacksmiths, tailors, restaurants, and other amenities filled the town which made it constantly abuzz with noise. It functioned perfectly as a sort of tutorial section where a new player could see and understand what to expect in future towns.

There were a few other smaller towns on the first floor of Aincrad, most of which did not offer the same amount of services that the Town of Beginnings could. Each step forward meant that a player had to become more self-sufficient without relying on the safety of a large settlement like the Town of Beginnings. Leaving the safety of the largest town on the first floor was a mixture of excitement and fear. Fear typically outweighed excitement these days, but there was no denying that walking beside someone else greatly diminished the fear.

"Not sure if you heard, but up in Tolbana they're going to have a meeting today. I guess it's the pre planning for challenging the floor boss." The voice came from the beautiful dagger wielder Jayce had met last night. With the sun high overhead beating down on them he could see her clearly. While it wasn't quite as stunning as seeing her framed in the moonlight it was no less impactful just how attractive she was. Jayce quickly looked away from her focusing on the road ahead that would lead them to Horunka.

"I heard." Under the hood he wore, Jayce rolled his eyes at his own shortness of speech. A little over an hour ago he had spoken easily enough with Aincrad's Information Broker, Argo, but now he couldn't keep a conversation going. The logical reasoning was that he had contacted Argo for the services she provided in exchange for whatever price tag she attached to the information. It was no different than buying a sword at the weapon merchant.

"Should we go?" his head swiveled towards Jemza at a speed he thought might break his neck. With eyes wider than normal and a familiar feeling of fear back in his mind he shook his head fervently.

"No…I can't." The tension dissolved as her usual smile spread over her face and she waved a hand towards him.

"I was just kidding. The front lines of battle are a bit over our heads. Still…today might be the day that this game finally begins." Jayce let his anxiety return to normal and looked away from her once more.

"Think so?"

"We've been here for a month now. In that month the player base has lost twenty percent of its population. Two thousand players are already dead and the first floor hasn't been cleared. I'm sure you've noticed the mood in the Town of Beginnings right? People have confined themselves there, too scared to leave."

"It's natural to fear death." Jayce could feel her gaze, but he kept his sight ahead on the road.

"You could die at any moment no matter where you are. Simple acts like crossing the street could be deadly. If you really think about it, you're more safe here than in the real world." Avoiding her eyes had been the right choice. If he had stared into her silver eyes now there would have been no way to respond. She was making comparisons to the real world which many people avoided. With the gravity of their imprisonment having long sunk in it caused too much grief to talk about the real world these days.

"Some of us are more scared than others." Jayce was mostly talking about himself, but was confident that sentiment extended to a good majority of players refusing to leave the walls of the Town of Beginnings.

"That's why today is so important. Showing that a floor can be beaten will be far more uplifting than anyone can imagine. We're all scared in one way or another, but at least I have the strength to fight." Jemza's words sank into his mind as they continued to walk along the pathway that led into the forest. In the distance they could see various creatures that were too far to become aggressive against them, but the threat was still there.

"After last night, I can't imagine you scared." He expected her to laugh at his observation considering how fearless she had been against the Kobolds. When more than a few seconds of silence returned he dared to turn his head slightly towards her. His breath caught in his throat meeting her eyes that pierced through him. It wasn't anger or irritation on her face, but something different.

"I'm always afraid Alchemist. Every moment." The only response he was capable of was a quick nod. He understood his own fear well enough, but maybe Jemza harbored the same in her own mind. The complexities of women were a skill Jayce had neither tried to master let alone even attempt. Trying to understand her now seemed more daunting than tackling the floor boss, and in truth frightened him just as much.

"Why do you call me that?" The expression on her face softened as her eyes seemed less intense and her head tilted a bit.

"I wonder…" She was tapping her chin now as if deep in thought, but Jayce understood she was simply feigning the motion in an attempt of sarcasm.

"You can use my name." The tapping stopped and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"We spent all night hunting together. Today you asked me to lend a hand on a quest in the next town. Not once have I heard you use my name and speak more than a few words at a time. When you stop acting like a mindless NPC I will treat you like one." His feet stopped moving as if he hit a wall. He saw Jemza stop a few steps ahead, but didn't look back. The instant response was to be defensive and deny what she had said. Human nature dictated that you defend yourself when attacked, but as the seconds passed he understood she wasn't attacking him.

Jayce began to understand why he sent Jemza the message this morning. The safety of travelling with someone was definitely part of it. He couldn't deny that there was comfort in knowing that someone was watching your back. There was a deeper purpose, however. A purpose that until right now he didn't fully grasp. Regardless this artificial world, and that it all existed as signals sent to their brains, they were still humans.

Food, shelter, and water were three necessities of life. With those three things fulfilled a person could survive, but nobody wants to simply survive. Survival wasn't the same as living and there was another necessity that people yearned for. Something that was taken for granted more often than not, but right now became far more apparent to Jayce. Such a simple thing called companionship. Nobody wanted to be alone.

When he spoke to Argo this morning about the quest, she said to bring a friend. Jemza couldn't be called a friend, but nonetheless his mind had gone to her. He didn't want to endanger her life in any way, but he wanted her there. Not just because it made things safer, but because he wanted to feel the presence of another person. To be reassured that he wasn't alone.

"Shall we go back, Alchemist?" Her tone was comically sarcastic now and he could sense the smile on her face even with her back turned to him. The only question on his mind now was what her motives were. Why would she follow a stranger into the wild whom she had only met the night prior? Did she desire being next to someone as much as he did? Was she truly as afraid deep down as everyone else?

"No." Taking another step forward Jayce walked past her refusing to give into her. He hoped the hood would hide his smile. Barely a step past her and he heard her boots begin to fall into step behind him at a slightly quicker pace until she was beside him once more.

"Do you want to know why I came?" Either Jemza's ability to understand others was extraordinarily high or there was some hidden Mind Reading skill Jayce was unaware of. Even with her back turned she seemed to understand exactly what he had been thinking. He debated answering for a minute. She was offering a piece of the puzzle that made up her as a whole.

"Yes." This time he did hear the small laughter escaping her lips. This must be how Argo the Rat feels right before she learns something new. Where she did it for profit, Jayce simply wanted to know more about the white haired dagger wielder traveling beside him.

"I came so I could learn why you asked me to join you." His excitement vanished and he turned towards her staring stupidly.

"That…that's not an answer!" Her response hadn't told him anything about her. In fact, it was twisted around so that it seemed like she just wanted to learn more about him. Her pace picked up to the point where she even skipped slightly swinging her arms. She stopped about ten paces ahead of him and spun on her heels fixing her eyes onto his.

"Sorry Alchemist, but you don't meet the requirements for that quest." She turned and continued outpacing him before he could even formulate a coherent response.

"Hey. Hey, wait!" He called out starting to jog just to catch up. Before he got close Jemza closed her eyes and looked up at the trees above her whispering quietly.

"Not yet at least."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Horunka village consisted of a few small homes set alongside a lake. The rest was surrounded by the forest of large trees making it nearly impossible to spot the town from a distance. The lake on the western edge of town shimmered from the rays of sun reflecting off its surface. Serene was the best word to use when describing the atmosphere within the town. NPC's went about their predetermined programming, but whereas the Town of Beginnings seemed to bustle, Horunka was calm.

"Good afternoon." An older gentleman tipped his hat towards Jayce and Jemza as they entered the town.

"It's polite to answer a greeting with one of your own. Don't be rude." Jayce's partner nudged him in the shoulder criticizing his lack of response to the NPC's greeting.

"Same to you, sir." Jayce answered looking back towards the man who waved a hand. He then shifted his gaze towards Jemza glaring at her from within the hood of his cloak.

"Feels good to be cordial doesn't it?" She said undeterred by his irritation.

"He's an NPC. He doesn't care if I say hello or ignore him." Jayce argued back making Jemza puff her cheeks out angrily.

"That doesn't matter. Manners are manners." She crossed her arms defiantly bringing a sigh out of Jayce. Before he could further the argument they came to a stop in front of a small house that was indicated in Argo's guide as the starting point for the quest. This was unfamiliar territory for Jayce. He had never performed a quest in the game as of yet. They provided excellent experience, money, and items, but were inherently more dangerous. Keeping Jemza's desire for politeness in mind, Jayce reached up and knocked on the door gently.

"Come in." Jayce opened the door after hearing an older woman's voice answer. The doorway opened in a small combination living, dining, and kitchen area. An open doorway on the far wall led further into the home, but otherwise this single room seemed to contain the majority of its size. An older woman sat before a pot of simmering liquid stirring it slowly when they entered. She looked up forcing a smile beckoning him and Jemza inside.

"Ah, hello travelers. I would offer you something, but I have nothing but water. How may I be of service?" Her voice was almost grandmotherly with small traces of sadness.

"That's ok ma'am you don't…"

"It seems you are cooking something though." Jayce interrupted Jemza who quickly spun on him.

"How rude! If you were hungry then…" She trailed off as the sounds of coughing came from the open doorway. The older woman turned towards the sound and forced another bitter smile.

"Forgive me, but yes I am trying to make something to ease a cough." Jemza took a step back from Jayce her eyes shifting from anger to concern. Jayce wasn't being rude; he was simply progressing the quest dialogue in the direction it needed to follow. She gave him a look of apology before turning back towards the woman.

"How bad is it?" There was a genuine sound of concern in Jayce's voice. Jemza noticed it, and this time it didn't seem like he was doing it for her sake. Not more than five minutes ago he seemed to act like NPC's were nothing but programs that could be ignored. Why now was he treating this differently?

"We have tried every remedy available with no success. Her condition has worsened each day. She needs a mixture brewed from the ovules of a creature within the woods outside of town. They are dangerous beings and no one here is capable of facing them." Jemza watched as Jayce stepped further into the house towards the doorway. She followed slowly behind until she could see the small room that was attached. On a bed was a little girl huddled under a pile of blankets. She shivered hard coughing every so often against whatever illness had befallen her.

"Oh no…" Jemza put a hand up to her mouth. Jayce knelt down and placed his hand on the little girl who stirred slightly. Tear stained eyes opened as her head turned towards him. She didn't say anything, but stared at Jayce for a few moments as if pleading for him to save her. Jemza could feel her chest tighten at the sight.

"You're going to be alright. Stay strong, and wait for me." Jayce said patting her once more before standing up and walking past Jemza back into the main area of the home. Jemza watched him walk past and swore she saw a single streak of moisture down one of his cheeks.

"Sir?" The woman stopped stirring the liquid as Jayce came near. A yellow exclamation mark appeared over her head indicating that a quest was now available from her.

"I'll get what you need for the girl." The signs of despair and sadness seemed to disappear from the woman's face upon hearing Jayce. The yellow exclamation mark vanished from above her head indicating that the quest had been accepted. Without any further hesitation Jayce strode through the room and opened the door leading out of the home. Jemza gave a quick bow to the woman and hurriedly followed after him.

An awkward silence permeated the air between the two as they walked West towards the forest. There was something different about the way the man next to her walked now. He had just taken his first steps into the wider world known as Aincrad. Forced himself to fight against the fear of death to bring himself further. So, why was he now walking with a determination that belied that fear?

Jemza glanced back over her shoulder at the home they had left. In that home, something affected Jayce in a way that trumped his fear of death. Whatever it was, it even went so far as to make him treat NPC's like genuine people. Following their short argument about the townsmen who greeted them upon entering Horunka, Jemza normally would guess he was just placating her. However, when Jayce left the little girl's room she was certain she saw something far greater than pain in his face. His choice of words in that home, the way he walked now…it was personal.

An unwritten rule inside the confines of Aincrad was that one did not ask about another's life outside the game. Net safety was always a topic of debate around the world ever since it began. This was especially important in MMO games as they tended to cater and attract younger audiences. Sharing personal information was dangerous as you never knew who was sitting on the other side of the monitor. Here in Aincrad you didn't even have the safety of a monitor to hide behind.

Internet predators were a very real thing in the world and for Jemza who was the rare combination of female and a gamer she had seen her fair share of unwanted attention. Not that she went out of the way to draw attention to herself in other games, but inevitably the truth about her being a woman tended to show itself. That was quickly followed by multiple private messages and invitations to group. She was no longer treated like a fellow player, but a prize to be won.

When SAO was developed it included a comprehensive Anti-Harassment System to prohibit unwanted physical contact. If another player approached Jemza and placed his hands on her the system would forcefully push him away from her. Repeated attempts would remove the player altogether placing them into a prison underneath the Black Iron Palace in the Town of Beginnings. The process of being released from said location was no simple feat so it was an effective deterrent. The system also extended to NPC's as well which meant players who were just looking to cop a feel on unsuspecting townsfolk still received ample punishment.

As the path they walked on gave way to overgrown brush Jemza locked her eyes on the back of the hood Jayce wore. Not every man she had met online had treated her poorly. To be fair the majority had been your average gamer. Nonetheless, the day she placed the Nerve Gear on her head had been one with more than a little reservation. Once inside she would, in essence, be living within the fantasy world of Aincrad. Even if nine out of ten people she met treated her well, that left one out of ten she would have to deter face to face.

She shook her head as the tree line began to enclose around them. Why was the even thinking about these sort of things right now? Was it because she was walking out into the woods with a man she had only met less than a day ago? Was he luring her into a false sense of security before showing his true colors? The image of his face after talking to the little girl in the quest givers home flashed through her mind causing her to instantly regret ever having such doubts.

"I…shouldn't have asked for you to come." The man ahead of her stopped, his shoulders visibly lowering. Jemza looked around the forest scanning their surroundings. She took a few steps forward until she was beside him.

"Perhaps not, but you wanted me to come, right?" She didn't turn to face him nor did he make any movement to look her way. They both stared into the forest where the creatures that held the cure for the little girl roamed. His silence was more than enough answer for her and in that moment she made a decision. Whatever burden he was carrying with him on this particular quest, she would share it.

"Let's go Alchemist, there's a little girl waiting for you." His body twitched once, but after a few seconds he nodded. A few dozen more yards into the forest and they began to see red colored cursors between the trunks of trees. They were spread out far enough that there was no inherent danger of engaging multiple enemies at once, but their presence was still frightening. Peering around the bark of one of the trees the pair finally laid eyes on what they were hunting.

Little Nepenthes was a plant type creature standing a little over a meter and a half tall with long snake like tentacles that ended in sharp leaves. It moved on a pile of writhing vines effortlessly, churning up the dirt as it passed. Atop those vines was a bell shaped torso with a large toothy maw that opened and closed occasionally. In a word, the thing was disgusting.

"We'll have to kill them until the one with a flower appears." Jemza nodded in understanding. Many quests in these types of games relied on locating a specific kind of enemy to complete.

"I'll go first yeah? Back me up?" Jemza looked into the man's eyes within the hood and knew he acknowledged her request. She crouched low and began her slow approach. Unlike the Kobolds these creatures had no discernable anatomy. It was impossible to know where their weak spot was. She would just have to rely on the element of surprise for now until they learned.

The Moonlit Silver Dagger slid from the sheath on her hip rotating into a reverse grip in her hand. She came within twenty yards of the plant when it spun suddenly opening its mouth, baring the teeth inside menacingly. She had skilled up her Hiding skill to a point where this should not have happened. How could it have detected her so easily? None of it made sense at all.

Regardless of level disparity a player could still suffer fatal damage from a creature. For instance, if someone were stunned and unable to defend properly an attack on their body could result in a critical. This could deplete their health gauge with a single blow. If they managed to survive there was always the chance of suffering further status effects. The end result would be the same…death. That was why there was an importance of remaining focused at all times in combat regardless the level advantage over the enemy you may have.

There were stories of miraculous survival situations where a person saw their lives flash before their eyes. As death wrapped an icy hand around their throat they saw flashes of white light, or images of things that had come to pass. A razor sharp tendril raced forward towards Jemza as she stood in shock. Jayce would have been waiting for her initial strike before moving up. She had made the fatal mistake responsible for the majority of the nearly two thousand deaths so far. Jemza had lost her focus against an enemy of Aincrad.

There was no white light, or images of her life outside of SAO. No profound epiphany came to mind as she stared blankly at the vine rushing towards her chest. Hubris for her carefree attitude had caught up to her and the cost would be steep. Her vision went black as the Little Nepenthes struck home with its attack. A gust of wind fluttered the strands of hair hanging down the front of her face and she blinked twice as her vision returned.

Sailing past her, she watched in horror as Jayce dove in front of her taking the attack head on and was sent flying into the trunk of a nearby tree. It splintered with a loud crash as his body crumpled against the bark dropping him to the ground in a heap. The gauge that showed his health dipped past halfway continuing into the red. She didn't wait to see the rest of the bar disappear, but instead spun on her heel roaring in rage and charged the plant creature.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After a month into the live version of Sword Art Online the death toll was nearing the two thousand mark. All perished on the first floor of the virtual world known as Aincrad. In that time, Jemza had never seen another player die. She had typically hunted in areas less travelled not only to avoid competing for creature spawns, but also circumventing the possibility of watching someone succumb to this world.

For a week she remained indoors in the Town of Beginnings. Aincrad's lowest level where everyone currently lived was the largest in terms of land. It spread out in a ten kilometer diameter with each floor above it gradually decreasing in size. The hundredth floor was basically one large castle creating the tip. One of the most awe inspiring sights of Aincrad was standing on the edge of the world from any floor. Open sky as far as you could see stretched beyond the borders of each floor. This was because Aincrad and the entirety of its hundred floors floated high in the clouds.

The Town of Beginnings was near the edge of the first floor and during the first few weeks of imprisonment many people who disbelieved the developer's threats sought to find a different way out. They refused to accept the rules put in place instead choosing to take matters in to their own hands. Others couldn't handle the mental strain of being held prisoner in the game and went insane. Jemza hid in a room so she wouldn't have to watch these people leap from the side of Aincrad in an act of suicide.

When reality settled in and the player base left behind after the beta testers and strong willed individuals left she began her own journey into the wild of Aincrad. She wasn't new to MMO games and found that after the initial fear of combat she could control it and harness it into strength. Aincrad might be a game of death, but so was the real world. Perhaps, living here in Aincrad wasn't so bad after all. She began to enjoy the game for what it was rather than letting the fear of death control her. Unnecessary risks were of course avoided, but controlled steady hunting gave her the confidence to smile.

If she could get stronger, slowly, over time then it was possible that being trapped in this world was a good thing. By now almost a month later she barely thought of the real world. She didn't fight so she could clear the game and escape this prison. No, she fought because in a sense this prison was her freedom. It wasn't like anyone cared if she came back alive.

Growing little by little through safe and controlled hunting. So, why was she leaping high into the air with a dagger pulled back in the beginning motion of a sword skill? Why was she screaming hard enough to make her throat hurt? Most important of all, why did she feel nothing but hate as her body hurtled towards the Little Nepenthes? Every semblance of rationality evaporated from her mind as blue lights sparkled around the blade of her Moonlit Silver Dagger reaching down around her hand and forearm.

"Guwaaaaah!" An equally intense roar emitted from the mouth of the creature as she collided with the bell shaped torso slamming her dagger into the soft textured skin. As her feet hit the side she kicked hard propelling her upwards while still shoving the blade of her dagger into its body. With a wet tearing sound, she flew high into the air, her dagger slicing the creature from its midsection all the way to the top of the sprout of leaves on the head. She rolled once in the air landing on her feet in a crouch behind the Little Nepenthes just in time for it to shatter into fragments.

Ignoring the window that appeared showing her experience gain, col, and items she spun running towards the tree where Jayce landed. Only now did she see his health level stopped near the 10% section. She slid along the dirt on her knees grabbing him by the shoulders and forcefully rolling him over. The Anti-Harassment System would probably give him a window asking to push her away, but as he tipped onto his side nothing appeared, nor was she thrown back.

In his hand was a small empty vial she recognized. It had been one of the enhanced healing potions created with the Amberthorn from last night. He must of drank it as soon as he hit the tree offsetting the damage just fast enough to leave him deep in the blinking red zone. His hood had fallen off his head revealing his short brown hair. With his head free from the cloak's confines she could see all of him for the first time.

Most of the population of SAO was within the 16 to 20 age range. He looked older, perhaps his mid-twenties. His face looked tired, like he had travelled for years without rest. In his current state she saw something in his eyes as they blinked back at her. Somewhere behind the orbs that stared back at her was a great void. She couldn't explain the feeling, but the man lying before her was missing something. Or to be more precise, had lost something.

With a shaking hand he reached back and pulled the hood back up over his head. His other hand dropped the empty glass vial to the ground. Jayce's body righted itself until his back was leaning against the trunk of the tree he had impacted against. The minutes passed by as the two stared at each other in silence. Both their chests rose and fell rapidly waiting for the adrenaline to wear off.

"I want to yell at you." Jemza was the first to break the silence clutching her hands against the fabric of her pants.

"Yeah." His voice matched the shakiness his hands exhibited. It was strained, scared, but also relieved.

"I messed up…so…so I should yell at you for diving in recklessly like that." His hood bobbed once as she spoke.

"Yeah…"

"I mean, you all but said you were too scared to leave the Town of Beginnings. You…you asked me to help not the other way around. I was stupid and careless so there's no reason for you to do what you did." Only now did she realize her own hands were shaking violently.

"Ye…"

"Don't just say _yeah_!" Jemza yelled, but not out of real anger. The adrenaline was wearing off, but in its place the gravity of what had just happened began to sink in. She opened and closed her hands along the edges of the black pants she wore and bit her lower lip.

"Last night, I gained two levels." She looked up as he spoke steadying her breath.

"Right."

"I chose Hiding as my third skill. The only thing I hadn't chosen was where to put the six stat points I gained."

In SAO there were only two stats that you could increase after gaining a level. Three points were allocated for a player to choose between either Strength or Agility. Strength allowed the use of heavier, high end weapons. It also dictated damage, carrying capacity, climbing, and various other things. Agility on the other hand provided increased reflexes, faster movement speed, accuracy, and the such.

"You didn't spend them?" Jayce shook his head at her question and her eyes widened starting to catch onto what he was getting at.

"I did…just now. All six into Agility." Jemza's mouth hung open hearing what he said. There was no going back on the choices you made with stats. For his style of play using One Handed Swords he would need high strength. Most went a 2 to 1 split between strength and agility or vice versa if using weapons like daggers or rapiers. He had dumped all of it into agility with the hopes it would give him just enough speed to reach her in time.

If he was following a standard stat allocation route, then at level 4 he would have 8 points in his strength stat and 4 in his agility. Assuming he was telling the truth, which she had no reason to doubt him after what just happened, then that meant he was still at 8 strength, but his agility jumped to 10. It would severely impact the growth of his character for the next few levels as he tried to correct his stats.

"I know we just got here and it's still not dark, but I think I want to call it for today." Jayce pushed himself up leaning against the tree to steady his legs. Pain did not exist in SAO, nor any residual physical effects after taking severe damage. The instability of his body was purely mental. He had been most afraid of dying in this game, which in terms of damage taken he had died. Without the enhanced potion created less than a day ago, a normal one would not have healed him fast enough to offset the health depletion.

Jayce pushed off the tree half walking and half stumbling past Jemza while she still stared where he had been laying. She understood why he couldn't walk since she herself had been mere seconds from death. It was likely the first time for both of them that I had been that close. She looked over her shoulder as he reached out to brace himself against any trees he passed.

He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes gripping the virtual bark of the tree next to him. All he wanted was to be back in the room he had called home for the past month in the Town of Beginnings. To just give up and remain safe where the creatures couldn't get to him. Maybe in a few weeks he could try again to push out a little further. Not as far as Horunka village, but just a little.

A gasp of fear escaped his mouth feeling something push under his right arm. Something pulled his waist at the same time. He could barely see a few strands of white hair from the corners of his hood. The pressure around his waist was strong enough to steady his body, but equally gentle. His right arm draped across Jemza's shoulders and around the back of her neck. He took a step away from the tree moving forward while she supported him.

It had taken maybe fifteen or twenty minutes to get to the forest. Returning took twice as long. A small purple screen popped up in both of their visons indicating that they had entered the Safe area of the town. Within towns your hit points would not drop even if you were cut by numerous blades. So long as you remained within these Safe zones there was no fear of death.

The pair made their way to the small building that functioned as the inn. The town had little in the way of player services, but thankfully an inn was one of them. The NPC greeted them happily regardless of their appearance. Jayce opened his menu, paying the man the required fee to stay the night without responding. This time Jemza did not scold him, but held him firmly until the NPC produced a key, handing it to Jayce. She helped walk him up the stair finding the room designated as his.

With a clicking sound Jayce unlocked the door and pushed it open. He reached a hand down and freed her hand from his waist. His right arm slid off her shoulder and he shuffled into the room without looking back. The quiet sound of the door closing behind him left her standing alone in the hallway of the inn. She couldn't blame him for being upset at her. Her carelessness had nearly cost him his life. He sacrificed his character's progression and safety for her. She turned and walked back down towards the innkeeper fighting the guilt in her mind.

"Thanks." Her voice murmured once the innkeeper provided her with a key. She leaned against the counter for a moment dipping her head low. After a long, steady breath she stood and walked back up the stairs. At their peak she not only heard, but saw Jayce's door shut as someone slipped inside quickly.

It was impossible to enter a room someone purchased without permission. The game system didn't allow it. Not even the Lock Picking skill would work on doors like this. She hesitated at the top of the stairs rolling the key in her hand through her fingers. That meant whoever entered had been let in by Jayce. She took a step forward heading for her own room, but stopped just after passing his. It wasn't her business who he met with, but an invisible force was pulling her backwards. Stuffing the key into a pocket she backpedaled and knocked on Jayce's door.

"Ah! She's a pretty one!" Jemza had to step back in surprise as a short figure appeared in the doorway. A brown cloak similar to Jayce's wrapped around her body with the hood pulled up. Brown curly hair spilled out the side of the hood framing the girl's face. A face that sported a wide grin and two cheeks, each painted with three black whiskers.

"Who…wha…" Coherent thought left Jemza's head seeing this mousy looking girl standing inside his room. Her back had been turned for no more than a few seconds as she purchased her own room. How did this girl slip passed and up into his room.

"Argo the Rat, pleased to meetcha Miss White!" The girl answered happily thrusting a hand forward.

"Miss White?" Jemza's eyes continued to stare at the girl blankly. She reached her other hand up into her hood motioning to her brown hair then pointed at Jemza's head.

"Uh, it's Jemza, my name is Jemza." She reached out shaking the girl's hand who gave a wink and spun marching back into Jayce's room. She held the door open beckoning her to follow.

"I was on my way back to the Town of Beginnings to let people know about the meeting today. You caught me just as I was passing by. Talk about luck." Argo said flopping her body down onto the couch in the room. Jayce was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling from a bed in the far corner of the room.

"How much will it cost me?" Jemza could tell his voice was still strained. She hadn't moved from the doorway. To be honest she was still trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Hmmm…it seems you've been through the ringer today. If I understand everything properly then your concern makes sense. Perhaps, instead of payment I could propose a trade?" Jayce leaned up on his elbows staring at the Rat lounging on his couch.

"What kind of trade?" Her mouth curled up into a devilish smile while her head slowly swiveled towards Jemza.

"Tell me about the hair and I'll call it even."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"No, I'll pay your cost." Before Jemza could respond Jayce put a hand up getting Argo's attention. The brown curls hanging out of her hood bounced slightly as she turned back towards him.

"I'm not prone to making deals, we should let Miss White decide." The Rat answered jabbing a thumb over her shoulder towards Jemza.

"I'm the one requesting the information Argo, not her. You have business with her, then you can pursue that once we're finished." Jemza swallowed hard. He was exhausted, frightened, and possibly many other different emotions right now, but the tone of voice he just used was pure defiance. Argo's eyes blinked a few times before she rocked back and then threw herself forward off the couch.

"Very well. My price in the Town of Beginnings was unfair for the information you gained. Out of respect and to keep my reputation untarnished this one's on the house. To properly use it you will need 12 points. What happened today…will set you back." Argo gave a quick bow and turned walking past Jemza into the doorway. She stopped and spun once more looking past Jemza at Jayce once more.

"However, if things happened how you say they did…" She turned to look at Jemza before continuing. "Then perhaps the true reward is worth the price. Good night." With a wave she shut the door and was gone. Jayce sighed and slumped back down on the bed.

"Argo the Rat. She wrote the strategy guide being given out for this floor. She also buys and sells information." Jemza took a few steps further into the room listening to Jayce.

"An information trader? I didn't know someone like that existed." She sat on the couch where Argo had been feeling very uncomfortable that she was now alone in his room. Not out of distrust, but because they still had barely spoken since the encounter in the forest.

"I sent her a message just as we got here. Seems she was already nearby."

"She's a friend of yours then?" Jayce sat up and shook his head.

"No, I only met her this morning to find out about this quest. I heard about her from some people talking at the inn I was staying at in the Town of Beginnings." The white haired girl nodded and looked down at her hands.

"So…why did you message her now?" It was Jayce's turn to look away now.

"The quest reward is a sword. Supposedly it is one of the best you can get and will be strong enough to last well into the third or fourth floor. I needed to know how much strength was required to wield it." Her heart sank as he answered.

"So, you needed to know how much harm I did to you?" She responded and heard him shift a bit on the bed.

"When I was growing up I used to think that the heroes in stories and movies were people to look up to. Even though it was fiction I thought that if I could be more like them and emulate their ideals then maybe I'd be a better man. I wanted to believe that if there was someone in danger that I would have the courage to throw myself in front of them and save the day." Jayce looked down at the wooden planks that made up the floor of the room. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands clasped together.

"A noble goal." Jemza said still staring down at her hands that were now squeezing a crease on the couch nervously. This marked the first time that Jayce had spoken to her in a way that felt like it could be a normal conversation. If only she wasn't wracked with guilt and fear for how much he blamed her.

"I don't care about the sword. I just…I don't want to see anyone die. It wasn't your fault that things happened how they did today. Argo said that the Little Nepenthes do not have eyes like many other creatures. As such they can use sound, smell, and even feel vibrations in the ground to detect players. Basically they are impossible to use Hiding against. You couldn't have known." Her breath caught in her throat and her head snapped up in his direction.

"Then, it didn't matter what my skill was at? They would have detected me anyway?" The revelation should have made her feel better about the whole situation, but it just made her feel more at fault. They didn't fully understand the enemy and almost paid the price for it.

"Now we know, and we learned a valuable lesson. We're alive so tomorrow let's not repeat that lesson." Jayce looked up meeting her eyes.

"Tomorrow?"

"Would you still be willing to help me?" She stared back at him with a bit of disbelief written on her face.

"Ok." Relief flooded through her mind making her fall back onto the couch. The mental exhaustion from what had happened today finally caught up to her. Jayce didn't blame her for what happened. He didn't even seem to hold her marginally responsible. All the self-doubt and anxiety disappeared, replaced with fatigue. Her eye lids instantly became heavy now that her body had nothing to focus on, but the tiredness.

Everything in SAO was digitally recreated. Smells, sights, touch, and even hunger served no actual purpose aside from stimulating the senses. Sleep, was the exception. The human brain needed to shut down and the feeling of tiredness in the game was completely real. Falling asleep in the world of SAO allowed the brain to disconnect from the Nerve Gear and enter a period of rest that the human body required. Upon waking, the sensors in the Nerve Gear would reacquire connections and place you back in your avatar.

"Hey, talk to me would you?" Jemza asked, her blinks becoming slower.

"About what?"

"I don't care, just talk to me. Why'd you pick the skills you did?" She rolled onto her side forgetting that she wasn't in her own room and tried to focus on one of the candles on the wall. She heard Jayce move a bit from where he was.

"My favorite series of books had a character that I really enjoyed reading about. It was a high fantasy series with all sorts of races, magic, and adventures. The character wasn't even the main protagonist. More often than not he was actually the villain. He was an assassin who wielded a long sword and a dagger. He must have been popular because the author wrote some books solely on him and I found myself really enjoying what made him who he was. He was adept with poisons, a master of stealth, and one of the best swordsman in the land." Jemza took a deep breath smiling to herself.

"So, you wanted to play a similar character? He sounds pretty cool. I'm sure you've played other games, what was your favorite thing to do in them? Were you looking forward to the same thing here? Before everything happened I mean." Jemza finished speaking, her voice dropping to a whisper. Jayce stood from the bed, a blanket held in his hand. He walked over to where the girl now slept breathing heavily. He shook the blanket once spreading it out and let it fall over her body.

"Yeah, I played other MMOs and was very focused on one part of them." He looked down at her while she slept and took a breath before looking away guiltily. Jayce found himself looking out the window on one of the walls. It wasn't even night yet, but he could feel the unconscious pull that the bed was having on him. He looked back at Jemza one last time.

"I liked to kill other players."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **December 3** **rd** **2022**

The science behind how the Nerve Gear work was a mystery to Jayce. Virtual reality was not a new concept and in fact had evolved rapidly over the last ten to fifteen years. This announcement of a brain interface device like the Nerve Gear was beyond expectation. Full immersion within a virtual environment that allowed a complete sensory experience was what it offered. On that level it most assuredly delivered and exceeded all expectation. If only the entirety of the ten thousand users weren't being held hostage.

Jayce took another bite of the bread he was served on the ground floor of the small inn. The fact that it tasted exactly like a loaf of fresh baked bread was what made him start wondering about the Nerve Gear and just how it functioned. Not only the taste, but the texture while chewing it was completely identical to the real world. It made him wonder what else might exist in the game as far as food was concerned. He dared to hope that he would come across a hamburger at least once.

The creaking of wood made him look towards the staircase noticing Jemza slowly descending. He gave her a quick nod before returning back to the bread he was breaking pieces off of and eating. He watched her as she seemed to hesitate before approaching him. His chewing slowed to the point where his mouth all but stopped moving. She seemed torn between joining him or saying something.

"There a problem?" He tried to ask in a more polite tone than normal. After yesterday's dangerous encounter it was time to try and be more vocal with Jemza. Regardless what happened out in the woods, without her he was certain he wouldn't have made it. Her lips tightened as she shifted her weight back and forth.

"Um…" She trailed off looking back towards the stairs. In the real world her actions were similar to a child that had to use the bathroom, but here in Aincrad no such urges existed. He didn't even want to think how his real body was handling that in the real world. In the spirit of turning over a new leaf with his temporary partner he figured it would at least make her laugh.

"Gotta pee?" He was wrong. She stopped fidgeting and stood facing him before stomping forward and grabbing the back of the chair opposite from him.

"No! You…why didn't you wake me up?" Jayce resumed chewing the bread and swallowed it. What was this girl's problem now?

"I wasn't aware you needed me to be your alarm clock. I think you can set something like that up in the system menu." He responded breaking off another piece of bread. Her face was beginning to change from the light pink shade to a darker red. Warning lights began to erupt in Jayce's mind as he noticed her complexion shift. She was very angry about something, and from what little he knew about women he was confident that when angry…stay out of their way.

"Not that! Last night!" Things began to click into place little by little. She wasn't upset that he hadn't woken her up this morning. She was upset he didn't wake her up last night when she fell asleep on his couch. A woman falling asleep in the room of a man she had only met the night before. Jayce dropped the bread on the plate and quickly threw both hands up apologetically.

"It wasn't like that! After you fell asleep I left and purchased a second room. I never went back into that room I swear it." It was the truth. After Jayce put the blanket over her he had debated passing out on the bed, but when he looked back at Jemza who looked so comfortable he didn't have the heart to try and wake her. The same reservation she now was angry about had been on his mind in the moment last night. So, he left the room to her since it was paid through the night and rented out a second for himself.

"You did?" Her features softened dramatically at his explanation which in turn helped to reduce the level of fear rising in his mind. He kept his hands up defensively nodding quickly.

"I'm really sorry I didn't wake you, it's just that you looked so tired. I should have woken you up." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath blowing it out in one go. When she opened her eyes again everything about her seemed to have reverted back to normal.

"Thank you for being a gentleman then." She pulled the chair out and sat down across from him. The NPC waitress came by shortly after she sat down and headed towards the kitchen after Jemza requested the same bread Jayce was eating.

"Are you still alright to lend a hand? If not, we can always go back to the Town of Beginnings." He asked because he wasn't completely sure on if he was ready to brave the forest again. If she had reservations, then he would never go alone.

"Yeah, I'm good. Argo sent me a message this morning. She said if run into any with fruit growing on their bodies, avoid them."

"She say why?" Jemza shook her head and shrugged.

"No, just to avoid them. She seems like a nice girl." Jayce snorted trying not to spit bread everywhere.

"She's an information broker, she'd sell her own stats for the right price." He responded. Jemza smiled and waved at the waitress who set a plate of bread down in front of her before returning her sight back on the man in the hooded cloak.

"Perhaps, but she's still very nice. She didn't charge me anything and even gave you free information last night."

"Or it means that she learned something about you for free and felt like she owed you something to make up for it."

"Ridiculous I only met her last night and barely spoke a word to her." Jayce looked up from the plate so he could look her in the eyes.

"You stayed in my room last night." He pushed himself back having finished the bread and headed for the door. "I'll meet you outside when you're done eating." He left her sitting with her mouth half open. Before he was even out the door she had the system menu open to the messaging tab, furiously typing away at the keyboard to what he assumed would be a message to Argo.

It only took five or so minutes before she shuffled out the door of the inn. Jayce was looking at a sword that a merchant was selling. He handed the blade back to the NPC merchant and approached the white haired girl. She had a downtrodden look and shook her head back and forth a few times before looking up at him.

"That girl is a crook."

"Had to pay her to stay silent didn't you?" Jemza nodded sighing deeply.

"Yes, but not with money." Jayce raised his eyebrows falling in line beside her as she trudged along the path in town.

"Oh? What did she want in return then?" Jemza glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before returning her focus ahead.

"It's personal." Jayce nodded deciding not to press her any further. If it was personal, then it was most assuredly none of his business. Besides this was only their second day together and once this quest was completed they would most likely go their separate ways. There was no reason for her to feel comfortable enough to talk to him about personal matters.

Without saying anything about it to one another they were already walking in the direction of the forest where they could find the Little Nepenthes. It really did feel nice to walk next to someone. It felt even better knowing that he had survived yesterday's encounter after saving Jemza's life. Under the hood he grinned imagining how cool he must have looked diving in front of her heroically. Regardless that he was terrified, and wanted to cry in the moment, now that it was over he allowed himself the moment to mentally pat himself on the back.

He glanced at her as she walked using the edge of the hood to obscure his eyes. She had to be at least twenty years old. Maybe a few years younger than him, but he wasn't sure. Her body looked athletic and the way she walked indicated that she was a very active person. Since the Nerve Gear mapped everyone's real body and faces into SAO it meant that although the girl next to him was a digital recreation, she still looked like this in the real world. Her facial features were also hard to ignore. In a word, Jemza was one of the most beautiful women he'd met. Her eyes were especially striking. Just like right now, it was nearly impossible to look away when she stared back at him.

Just like right now…staring back at him…she could see him. He quickly jerked his head straight so that he was looking towards the forest ahead of them. If there were a way to shrink further into his cloak he would have done so by now. An immense amount of guilt filled his mind at that moment. Jemza was risking her own life to help him on a dangerous quest and he was staring at her like a piece of meat.

"So, Alchemist, are you confident we will be successful today?" The white haired girl asked. Less than a day ago he threw himself in front of her to save her life. The ultimate sacrifice for another person, yet he was still just "Alchemist" to her. Which of course meant that she most definitely noticed him staring at her just minutes ago.

"Ah, yes I'm sure it will go well." He answered her quickly. She nodded stretching her arms high over her head.

"Good. I would like to avoid a repeat of yesterday. Watching you jump in front of me with your arms and legs flailing was like a fish jumping out of water. Not the most graceful spectacle, that's for sure." Jayce tried to cling to the heroic portrayal of himself he had been enjoying before, but her words snuffed it out leaving him walking slower with his mouth hanging open.

"That…that's…"

"Let's go Alchemist we have a sword to earn!" Jemza called from up ahead. Jayce kicked at the ground following along. The price of incurring the ire of a woman was indeed quite steep. A lesson all men learn, sooner or later.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It was nearly six o'clock in the evening as the pair sat on the outskirts of the forest sharing another loaf of bread. Jayce watched the tree line noting the moving cursors of enemies too far away to attack. He wondered if there were people trapped in this game who had never played an MMO before. With the lack of understanding of how enemy creatures worked one would think that if you were within eyesight they would attack. Would you ever be able to feel safe if that were the case? Not everyone knew that there was a certain radius that dictated if a creature would become aggressive and attack.

"We're going on ten hours." Jemza said taking a drink of water.

"Yeah, I think I owe you now." The girl beside him returned the waterskin back into her inventory and shrugged.

"Nah, we've made quite a bit of experience so in the grand scheme of things, this was well worth it." The first two hours had been slow going. They operated with a higher margin of safety to make sure there was little danger involved while fighting the Little Nepenthes. After two hours of falling into a rhythm and understanding everything the creature was capable of they sped up. For eight hours straight they continuously killed the plant creatures, but failed to find one with the flower needed to cure the little girl.

The upside to such a long amount of time spent was that they accrued a large amount of experience. Both Jayce and Jemza were well into level eight now. Jemza in particular was ecstatic because that meant Jayce had earned six more points which he could throw into strength and not only meet the requirements to wield the quest reward sword, but also get closer to where his stats should be at this point.

"That's true. Well, shall we get back to it?" They both took a deep breath and pushed themselves to their feet. After returning to the forest and falling into their normal routine of attacking as a pair another two hours came and went. Night fell over the first floor of Aincrad which thankfully wasn't the same as it would be in the real world. If this were real the forest would be nearly pitch black. Since this was an MMO, the night hours were dark, but everything was always illuminated as if a full moon shone down on it.

The last Little Nepenthes shattered into fragments of light when Jemza retracted her dagger from its body. Jayce looked around the area making sure no other plant creatures were nearby before checking the time. His shoulders slumped after he thought about things for a few moment and came to a decision. Jemza had already spent so much time helping him, and it wasn't fair to ask any more of her.

"Let's go back. You've done enough and I don't think we'll ever see this thing." The white haired girl looked over at him cocking her head to the side.

"It's no trouble. Like I said, the experience is worth it." While her statement was true he still felt that this was a lost cause. The chances of the Little Nepenthes appearing with a flower was so minimal that the frustration had set in.

"We're far above the level of these things now, so the experience has greatly diminished. We would have to move on anyway. Let's…"

"Look!" Jemza interrupted him, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around. Maybe it was due to the flood of relief within him, or just plain excitement, but without thinking he raised a hand to his shoulder placing it on top of hers. Ahead of them a few dozen yards away was a Little Nepenthes, a bright red flower sprouting from the top of its body.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful." Jayce said making the girl laugh. She didn't pull her hand away, but instead turned it and grabbed his hand tightly pulling him along.

"Come on!" Even with his higher agility score he still had to put a decent bit of effort in to keep up with her steps. What branches and logs she could effortlessly pass over without a second thought, he had to pay attention so as not to trip. She stopped just before entering the creature's threat range and turned her face towards him.

These last two days together had been full of a lot of different emotions. He had accomplished more in two days than all the other days combined. All thanks to this white haired girl he met by accident that night on the hills near the Town of Beginnings. A quirky, upbeat, and carefree girl who helped get him to this point. As much as she had smiled and seemingly enjoyed this world before the near death experience yesterday, the smile she had now was by far the most amazing thing Jayce had ever seen. If he didn't know any better, he would have guessed she was happier than he was.

All of a sudden he was very conscious of her presence. How long had they been staring at one another? Was it minutes, or only seconds? Although he wore black leather gloves he could feel her hand in his. The Nerve Gear even replicated the body heat from her palm in his. A familiar pain began to worm its way into his heart. His heart rate increased dramatically as a scream filled his head. He yanked his hand away stepping back from her. In the same motion he averted his eyes from her turning so she could no longer see him. Now, there was only silence for a few moments. She would be confused by his actions, possibly even upset.

"This was a long time in the making, so I think you can treat me to dinner once we're finished here." If she was angry or hurt, her voice did not show it. Jayce closed his eyes and took a deep breath pushing things out of his head before nodding.

"Deal." He still couldn't bear to look at her right now choosing instead to walk towards the plant creature. Whatever was going on in her mind was a mystery, but he heard her keeping pace just behind him. So, it came to pass that at 8:05 in the evening of December 3rd 2022, the pair found and killed the Little Nepenthes carrying the rare flower needed to complete Jayce's quest. Twelve straight hours of constant fighting finally came to an end.

"I wonder what I will have for dinner. We should go to the next town; they probably have better selection." Jayce couldn't help, but smirk under the hood of his cloak. If she were serious then he wouldn't hesitate to follow her. He owed her at least that much after how long this took.

"It's already getting later, so if you wouldn't mind postponing until tomorrow then I would be more than happy to oblige." She tapped her chin a few times, deep in thought before shrugging.

"Let me think about it." He gave her a nod in acknowledgement as they stepped up to the door of the home where they had first acquired the quest. With a swift knock on the door and the familiar greeting within, the two stepped inside seeing the older woman still seated over the fire stirring the contents of a pot. Her eyes seemed to light up significantly upon their entrance as if she recognized them.

"You've returned. Were you successful?" So she had remembered them, which was obviously part of the programming of the quest, but still amazing. Without the cursor over her head that identified her as an NPC she seemed like a real person. Jayce manipulated the system menu and opened his inventory. He tapped once and the red flower appeared in his hand. If the NPC had seemed anxious when they arrived, then she was nearly overcome now.

"You've done it! Thank you so much!" She seemed younger now that the weight of the little girl's illness had been lifted. She hurriedly opened a container nearby and produced a scabbard. The cross hilt and handle of the sword that was sheathed within was visible from the top of the scabbard as she walked towards Jayce.

"Thank you." Jayce said reaching out to take the weapon from her hands. A window appeared indicating the experience, col, and the sword being given to him for completion of the quest. Anneal Blade was written across the window with the icon of a one longsword.

"Congratulations." Jemza whispered from behind him. She turned to leave the house now that the quest was officially finished, but stopped when she noticed Jayce was not following. She turned and noticed he was watching the woman break the leaves of the flower apart letting them fall into the pot.

Once the rewards of a quest were given there was no further need to remain. Something was keeping him in place watching the NPC brew a medicine from the flower they had retrieved. In a way it seemed odd that the developers would even go through the trouble of programming something like this. Most players would have received the rewards and left without a second thought. Yet, Jayce remained and most concerning was how hard he seemed to be gripping the scabbard of the sword he had just received.

"Here you go Agatha." The woman called out ladling a portion of the pot into a cup. She stood and walked towards the back room. Jayce followed her which in turn made Jemza move up behind him. She looked over his shoulder watching the woman hand the cup to the sick little girl who drank the brew down. Immediately the color in her face became more vibrant and even her motions seemed more energetic. The little girl named Agatha looked past the woman up at Jayce and smiled.

"Thank you, for saving me." Her voice was so cute that Jemza had to stop herself from reaching out to hug the little girl. She grinned and reached out to pat Jayce's arm. Her smile vanished as he slapped her hand away before she got close. Was it just her imagination or did the NPC's also seem to look concerned now.

"Don't…don't touch me." He was breathing erratically and now that she was paying attention she could see his entire body trembled.

"Hey, what's wrong? You saved her." Jemza reached out again to touch his arm, but faster than she could register he spun on her pushing her against the wall of the small room where the little girl rested. Both the NPC's shrank back in fear which made no sense. They should have specific programming parameters they followed. There would be no possible way to program NPC's to react to unexpected events like this.

"I didn't! I couldn't!" Jayce screamed holding Jemza's shoulder pinning her to the wall. A window immediately flashed up in her vision from the Anti-Harassment System asking to remove Jayce. If she pressed the blinking button he would be immediately teleported to the prison. She could also give a verbal command in the event that she could not physically press the button.

"Let go!" She could feel his grip on shoulders tightening keeping her pinned. The window flashed violently in her vision as the man shook his head back and forth. The hood fall back revealing his face and only now did she see the tears streaming down his face.

"I didn't save her! I didn't save anyone! Their dead!" She didn't struggle anymore, and continued to ignore the blinking window in her vision. She could see from his face that he wasn't attacking her. She wasn't in danger, in fact if anyone was it was him. Not from her or the NPC's or even creatures roaming all over Aincrad. He was in danger from himself, and she didn't know why. In those few breaths of silence as she came to that conclusion he must have realized what he was doing and let her go stumbling backwards out of the room. Never had she seen someone in the same pain he showed now.

"What is it?" She asked tentatively reaching out and dismissing the harassment window. She took a step forward, but he backpedaled quickly knocking a chair over. He fumbled for his hood flipping it back over his head.

"Don't! Just leave me alone!" Her mind was racing with how she could help. What had just happened to cause this?

"Talk to me! Please!" Her voice was pleading and it stopped him before he could get to the door and leave. He didn't turn to face her, but she could still see him gripping the sword tightly in his hands.

"Stay away from me…I'm a mistake." She had no time to respond before he threw the door open and vanished into the night. No more than a few seconds later did a window appear in front of her. Five words read across her vision filling her with more heartache than she'd felt in a long time. Worse because it was for reasons she didn't even fully comprehend.

Your party has been disbanded


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 _Tap tap tap._ The rhythmic sound of the pestle pressing down into the mortar was the only sound in the room. It had taken a long time to get back here, but it was a necessary choice. Horunka Village held nothing further and so long as she was there he could not stay. Not after what he did to her. So, he did the only thing he had been good at doing for the past month since being trapped within SAO. He ran, and hid.

 _Tap tap tap_. He was back in the familiar room he had rented for so long in the Town of Beginnings. The room where he was safe from everything outside. He removed the pestle and tipped the contents of the mortar into a glass bottle filled with clear liquid. After setting the mortar down he lifted the bottle and shook it gently to let the ground materials absorb into the liquid. Mixing was always so relaxing, and never ceased to calm the nerves.

Jayce stared into the liquid spinning inside the bottle. It swirled around the edges leaving a slight red tint. With the supply of Amberthorn he could make more of these potions and sell them to players. With that money he wouldn't have to leave this room. He could remain here for a very long time depending on the profits. With his current level and equipment there was a good chance that he could also fight the kobold camps alone and find more Amberthorn. He would never have to see Jemza again if he waited long enough. The shame and embarrassment he felt could be avoided forever.

"Rah!" The bottle sailed across the room shattering against the wall. Jayce clenched his fists and slammed them down on the table lowering his head. He breathed heavily unable to calm himself. Even Mixing wasn't enough to take his mind off of things. He opened his hands that were no longer covered in black leather gloves and he looked over his palms noticing them shake considerably. Only a few hours ago those hands attacked Jemza, throwing her against a wall and pinning her there.

His face sunk down until it fell into the palms of his hands. He shoulders shook as he wept into them. He could never ask her for forgiveness after what he did. No, it was better to remain alone in this town where he could avoid hurting anyone else. This was how things were meant to be for him. The loneliness was something he could deal with. Jemza was a beautiful woman who was plenty skilled to handle herself. She could find plenty of other people to party with. She was reliable, honest, and helpful. An asset to any group that was lucky enough to meet her.

Or take advantage of her. What if she met some other person late at night and asked for his help? Would he be trustworthy and help her innocently, or would he harm her? Now that she wasn't beside him would she be safe? He left her alone in Horunka Village before she could say anything. Chances are she was still there, but come the morning light there was no telling where she would go next. The next person she meets could be deserving of being beside her and stay by her side until this infernal game was beaten.

Jayce put a hand over his chest feeling it tighten. Was this a feeling of jealousy? If it was, then why was it worming its way into his mind right now? Jemza was better off away from him wasn't she? He was doing her a favor by cutting their ties early on. This way she would never be disappointed. Yet, if this was all for the better, then why was he feeling an immense amount of regret?

He pushed himself back away from the desk and stood. He fell atop the bed and forced his eyes closed trying to force sleep to come. No matter how hard he tried to forget, the moment his eyes closed he saw her face and how upset she looked when he ran. The best thing he could hope for now was that these thoughts would disappear eventually. For now, however, he would have to fight to fall asleep.

 **December 4** **th** **2022**

Jayce's eyes blinked a few times against the sunlight streaming through the window onto the bed. He was still in his leather armor and sword belted to his hip. The clock on the edge of his vision indicated it was already late into the morning. A series of banging sounds echoed in the room coming from the door. Instantly, his blood ran cold as he could only imagine who it was outside his door.

He slowly crawled off the bed and made his way to the door which continued to bang every so often. There was no possible way Jemza could have known that he stayed here. How could she have found him so easily? What would he even say to her once he opened to door and was face to face with her? With a shaking hand he reached out and pulled the handle letting the door swing inwardly.

"You…why is it always you?" It was a mixture of relief as well as frustration that came out in the tone of his voice.

"Oi! Morning Alchemist!" Auburn curls and a brown cloak whisked past him into his room without any further words. He stood shaking his head before shoving the door shut angrily.

"Don't call me that." He looked over his shoulder at the girl who nimbly hopped onto the bed and stretched her arms up high.

"No? I was quite sure that you are in fact an alchemist though." The last word came out higher pitched than the rest of the sentence. The mouth equally curled upward into a grin as she stared back at him.

"What do you want Argo? I'm sure you're a busy woman with little time to visit someone like me." Her smile never left her lips, even in the face of his growing irritation.

"Is it truly such a bother that I visit my friends from time to time?" It wasn't on purpose, but his lip twitched. This girl was one of the most frustrating people to talk to, and yet she was essential.

"I paid for information from you about a quest, nothing more. We aren't friends." Her head lowered to a point where the hood of her cloak shadowed her face leaving little visible except for her teeth still displayed widely. In the few times he'd seen Argo this was the first time she looked dangerous.

"Nyahaha! You hurt me Alchemist!" The aggressive look she had was gone as quickly as it had appeared. She threw herself back cackling and kicking her feet.

"I didn't contact you so why are you here? How did you even find me?" Jayce asked angrily now that his patience had worn thin. The laughing stopped and she kicked her feet once more bringing her body upright.

"The Town of Beginnings is the place to be right now. It is merely coincidence that you happen to also be here. As for how I found you, it's like I said earlier…I enjoy visiting my friends." Her voice was amused, but the smile wasn't plastered over her face this time.

"There's somewhere around eight thousand players on this floor. I'm sure you have much more interesting friends you could be spending the day with." Jayce grabbed the chair near the desk and spun it around roughly until it was facing her.

"True, but they are busy right now. At least for a few hours longer." Argo responded, the painted whiskers on her cheeks twitching slightly.

"Hmm, well I have no intention of entertaining you for that long. I'm not interested in anything you have to offer right now, so please, leave." This feeling was nearly as bad as how it felt when he ran out on Jemza. Not that Argo and him were any closer to one another than Jemza, but she was still the only other person he had really spoken to. The Rat was simply someone he could trust when he needed information about the game. He paid, and she supplied. A simple arrangement, but effective. Now, he was trying to kick her aside out of frustration.

"We both know that's not true. You see, I'm not interested in selling right now." The girl rolled over until she was on her stomach resting her chin on her hands. Jayce looked around nervously feeling as if he were being watched. When he looked back at Argo her eyes were locked onto his.

"Then what is it?" He answered feeling more and more on edge the longer he stared into her eyes. It wasn't like with Jemza where her eyes added to her overall beauty. Argo's were like probes. They seemed to bore into him tearing anything she wanted free. Although she was a small, petite girl, there was more to Argo the Rat than her frame showed.

"I like you Alchemist. I want to know more about you." Perhaps Argo had spoken to Jemza last night? If she told Argo about his breakdown, then it would be something she could learn and therefor sell. She wasn't here to tell him she liked him romantically or anything even remotely close. No, she was here for her favorite thing in all of Aincrad. Information.

"It's rude to ask about someone's personal life Argo. I'm sure you know this." Once more her lips shifted upward into a smile.

"That's why I'm not asking. We're just two friends spending a lovely morning together." This wasn't right. Argo wrote the strategy guide for the entire floor. That alone had to have taken her days to accomplish. On top of that she also seemed to be involved in every facet of the player base of SAO. She wouldn't waste precious time like this. She was waiting for something.

"Something is about to happen here isn't it? What's going on Argo?" Jayce asked her, forgetting his irritation and now becoming more and more curious as to why she was here. One foot after the other she alternated lifting and lowering her legs on the bed as she tilted her head slightly.

"Are you asking for information from me Alchemist?" Her teeth became visible as he slowly fell into her web. It was too late to back out now so he gritted his teeth and continued.

"Yes, what's happening out there?" She stroked her chin with her dexterous fingers before snapping them once. She looked like she had just been hit by a stroke of genius.

"Aha! I've got it! As I said we're just two friends chatting away so I have no issues discussing things with you. The polite thing though would be to maybe throw me a crumb in return. A small, insignificant little morsel?" She pinched her thumb and index finger together, her eyes never leaving his.

"Dare I ask what morsel it is you are looking for?" She rolled once to her back and flung herself forward off the bed landing on her feet directly in front of him. Jayce swallowed as she reached out adjusting the hood of his cloak bringing her face closer to his.

"Who did you kill?" Her eyes seemed to flash once and her voice lowered from the nasally tone she usually had down to a deeper whisper. This close to Argo's face was the most intense pressure Jayce had felt. Not because of inappropriate thoughts for the girl staring into his eyes a few inches away, but because only now did he realize just how frightening Argo could be.

An hour later the girl hopped off the bed once more and began walking towards the door. She stopped just before reaching out for the handle and turned back towards him. Her smile had vanished about 45 minutes ago and never returned. Something else was on etched on her face, but Jayce wasn't quite sure how to define it. She gave a quick nod and waved her hand once.

"It won't be long now. Keep an eye on the portal in the square. When it opens, I suspect we won't speak to one another for some time. I will have a lot of work ahead of me." She said.

"Be careful." An odd phrase to say to her, but it was exactly what came out of his mouth. A simple goodbye would have sufficed, so why did he say something that indicated he was concerned with her safety?

"Always." She answered reaching out and grabbing the handle. She stopped and turned once more quickly. "Oh, and I've decided that this was between us. I won't tell anyone, regardless the cost. Coming from me, you should know how much that means."

"Right, thanks." He answered. She nodded once more and opened the door.

"Then goodbye Alchemist. I am very certain we will meet again."

"You're a beta tester…aren't you?" Argo stepped out into the hall of the inn and looked back over her shoulder. A small smile crossed her face.

"That my friend, is also something I will never sell." The door closed leaving him to smirk in response. He looked down at the system window opened to a menu he had never used until now. Up until a few minutes ago this window had been completely blank. He looked up at the name of the window and shook his head with a laugh.

"That girl really is a crook." He said closing the Friends tab where the sole name of _Argo_ was listed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Watching the central plaza of the Town of Beginnings, Jayce was now aware that the news Argo had shared with him was spreading quickly. A large group of people milled about talking excitedly with one another staring expectantly at the large archway that made up the very center of the town. This archway was currently nothing more than stones assembled to form two tall legs that curved and met one another at their peak. Up until today it had served no real purpose.

According to Argo a party of players had begun battling the boss creature of this floor. High up in the labyrinth that made up the pillar supporting the second floor was where those players now fought. The meeting Jemza had mentioned two days ago had been a planning meeting to formulate a strategy on tackling the boss. Argo had sounded quite confident that they would succeed. Afterwards the players would activate the portal up on the second floor and it would link with the one here in the Town of Beginnings.

Jayce stayed in the shadow of a building further away from the portal watching with a mix of anticipation and excitement. A new floor meant a myriad of things. New equipment, crafting materials, quests, and various other things would be available to the player base. More than any of that, however, was that this was the first step in freeing themselves from this prison. That very thought gave Jayce a sense of appreciation and respect to the brave men and women who were either currently fighting for their lives against the boss or had already succeeded.

He leaned forward as a flash of light appeared in the center of the archway. It blinked once before expanding rapidly into a swirling vortex. Hundreds if not thousands of players cheered as they watched the portal come to life heralding the verification that the team of players had been successful. Argo had been right. Not that Jayce would ever question her as she tended to be reliable when it came to information. With 98 floors remaining to clear, the task remaining was monumental, but at last, a month after being trapped the first step had now been taken.

Players began to enter the portal transporting them to the next floor. A quick blur of brown caught his eye drawing his attention away from the excitement. The unmistakable form of Argo running for the portal was a curious sight until he also saw the pair of players chasing after her. Both were in dark grey cloth with similar colored masks weaving through the crowd to try and catch up to her. What was more interesting was that they seemed to be gaining on her, which considering her assumed agility, left Jayce impressed.

What made Jayce leave the shadow of the building and start chasing after them wasn't because of curiosity, but because the way Argo ran was out of fear. The two masked players chasing her were clearly after her in a non-friendly fashion and she was desperately trying to evade them. He sprinted ahead pushing his way through the crowd of people ignoring the handful of insults for his trouble. Argo and the two players disappeared into the portal far ahead of where he continued to struggle to make progress.

It took nearly two full minutes to finally enter the archway. Jayce's vision blurred for a few moments as he was teleported from the Town of Beginnings up to the main town of the second floor. When things began to refocus themselves he looked around quickly hoping to catch a glimpse of either Argo or the two chasing her. With their speed and falling two full minutes behind they were long gone by now. His agility parameters were nowhere near the level necessary to keep up and he didn't have the Search skill to try and track Argo. For now he just had to hope that she wasn't in any real danger.

After moving away from the portal as more people continued to filter through, Jayce looked around at the town. A large central street carved through the town from North to South similar to the Town of Beginnings. The buildings lining the street were all roughly the same height following the same style as the Town of Beginnings. The entire town itself was situated within a crater carved into a flat topped mountain with the gates to the city formed into the perimeter of the crater.

"It's called Urbus." Jayce was looking down the long stretch of road the formed the central avenue of the town when he heard the voice. If it hadn't been directly behind him he would have assumed it was just someone talking nearby, but this was a too close, and he knew the voice. As quietly as possible he breathed in deeply letting it back out through his nose.

"You're here too?" A quiet laugh came from behind him in response to his question making him look down at the ground.

"Of course, I needed to collect on your debt." Jayce raised his head still unable to turn around and face the person talking behind him.

"Debt?" He asked unable to remember owing anybody anything. His breath hung in his throat for a few seconds as Jemza came around from behind him and stood so they were face to face.

"You promised me dinner in exchange for this." She answered reaching down and tapping the handle of the Anneal Blade on his hip. He looked down at the sword and then back up at her. The only thing he could read on her face was a look of simple amusement. She spun on her heel and started walking away with both hands clasped behind her back.

"Why…why are you doing this?" She stopped a few feet away and looked back over her shoulder.

"Maybe because you spent hours beside me helping me get this dagger. Or, perhaps because you saved my life when I should have died. If I had to pick a reason, then I suppose I'll go with how I fell asleep in your room with no blanket and woke up with one over me." She immediately began walking away again. Before she turned her face ahead once more he could have sworn he saw a bit of redness in her cheeks.

It was clear what she meant. Without saying it or bringing it up she was forgiving him. Now, she left it up to him whether or not he could accept her forgiveness or stay in isolation. For the briefest of moments, he hesitated knowing full well that something like this could happen again in the future. She deserved better than that. If he just watched her walk away, then he would never scare her again. She would be safe, wouldn't she? Would someone else dive in front of her if the situation happened once more, or would she shatter into a million pieces perishing from this world and the real one?

There was a common phrase shared all over the world. A phrase that Jayce couldn't get out of his head mostly because it was fitting for the current decision he had to make. The first step is always the hardest. Just like making the decision to leave the Town of Beginnings beside Jemza. Standing beside her while they fought for hours in the shade of the forest on the outskirts of Horunka. He remembered the elation they both felt when after hours of searching, their target finally presented itself. They both stared at it in relief holding hands like it was perfectly natural.

"Ok…" He muttered forcing his right foot forward. She was already too far away to hear him, but after his foot hit the stone he lifted his other foot and pushed it ahead walking quickly to catch up to her. Exactly like the saying went, that first step had been the hardest, but now he quickened his pace jogging until he came up next to her. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Jemza lifted her hand and manipulated her system menus while they walked. After tapping once Jayce saw a window appear in front of him.

Jemza has invited you to join her party

With a relieved sigh he reached up towards the Accept button. A hand grabbed his wrist making him stop walking and look over at the girl next to him. Her look of amusement was gone, and now she stared at him completely serious. She let his arm go and looked down at the ground between them.

"Don't leave me like that again. Alright?" Her voice was a mix of sadness and fear. She was good at covering up her emotions, but he knew that right now this was her honest self-speaking. He couldn't continue to live with as much self-pity as he had been displaying to Jemza these last couple days. He wasn't the only person scared to be in this world. For once, without hesitating he reached up and tapped the Accept button quickly.

"I won't. I promise." She raised her head staring at him again. Her features softened and she gave a nod.

"Alright, then shall we move on to food?"

"It's still fairly early and I promised you dinner so maybe we could just explore the town a bit? Then we can find someplace to eat?" Jemza grinned and narrowed her eyes in response to his question.

"That sounds like a date Alchemist. Quite bold of you." She said making him take a step back.

"No, I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that!" She waved a hand at his protests to show she was only joking. She began walking once more shaking her head slowly while laughing.

"You coward."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Well? What do you think?" The girl spun slowly in front of Jayce holding her arms out slightly. One of the greatest benefits to gaining access to a new floor was the access to higher tier items and equipment. The healing potions sold by merchants on the second floor would heal more than those sold on the first. Weapons and armor did more damage and provided increased defense respectively. The Moonlit Silver Dirk and Anneal Blade Jemza and Jayce had were not common weapons sold by merchants. As such their stats were still higher than the base weapons sold here in Urbus.

Armor, on the other hand, was something they both hadn't changed from since their first levels. Both wore armor belonging to the Light Leather Equipment category. All armor categories had skills of the same name which when taken and increased would provide greater benefits from the armor worn. Reduced weight, increased protection, and various other perks could be unlocked through the skill line. Jayce had not taken the skill line yet, but assumed Jemza had. Since he had chosen Hiding as his third skill, she must of chosen Light Leather Equipment as hers.

After stumbling across what seemed to be the main merchant section of Urbus, Jemza had wanted to see what was available. Two very long and painful hours later Jayce waited patiently inside a Leatherworker building while she disappeared into a side room. Upgrading his armor wasn't on his mind at the moment, but while waiting he still took some time to look over the different armor available here in Urbus. Within minutes the white haired girl returned and now spun slowly in front of him waiting expectantly.

Prior to entering this establishment Jemza had been very similarly equipped as Jayce. A simple leather breastplate with black breeches and tunic. The only difference between them was Jayce wore a black hooded cloak. Now, however, was a different story. The leather breastplate she wore now had attached epaulettes covering her shoulders. A pair of bracers and knee high boots wrapped around her forearms and legs. Her loose fitting breeches were replaced with tights covered with a black leather skirt.

Thanks to the magic of automatic sizing and fitting of clothing and armor in the game, everything fit her perfectly. Regardless how it may have seemed on the shelf it would resize itself to her frame once equipped. A fact that was far from lost on Jayce right now as his mouth unconsciously hung half open. He was left wondering how someone this beautiful could exist in the real world. The entirety of her outfit, from the fabric to the leather covered her body perfectly without interfering with her curves. Her spin stopped as she faced him placing her hands, which were now covered in fingerless gloves, behind her back.

"Wow…" The word came out more out of instinct rather than any coherent thought. As far as he was concerned he hadn't said anything at all. She smiled slightly brushing her hands against the skirt the fell down to her thighs.

"So, it's good then?" She asked looking down at herself. Jayce continued to stare stupidly unaware of anything happening around him.

"Wow…" She looked back up at him and rolled her eyes. A small laugh escaped her mouth as she reached out and slapped his arm lightly.

"Come on let's see what else this town has to offer." Jemza gave a quick thanks to the leatherworker and walked towards the door.

"Yeah…offer…" Like a mindless automaton Jayce shuffled after her still entranced at the sight of her. They both stepped out of the building into the sunlight while Jemza looked around.

"Hey, those potions you made with the Amberthorn are higher quality than standard potions right? Let's go take a look at the healing potions sold here to compare. For all we know the stuff you make might be the best out there for a few floors." Her words finally broke him out of the Charm effect her new outfit had on him.

"Sure, sounds good." The pair moved further into the marketplace until they came to a stall with an older woman standing behind the table. Laid out on the surface of the table ahead of her were various herbs and plants used in the Mixing skill. Beside those were various potions for players to purchase. A man in a long, dark colored cloak of some sort was looking over the ingredients when they both began looking at the potions nearby.

"How do they compare?" Jemza asked while Jayce reached down tapping on one of the healing potion bottles. A window appeared showing the stats of the potion including the values of how much it would heal and the speed of which it performed. He pulled one of the Enhanced Lvl. 1 Healing Potions free from his belt and set it next to the potion on the table. With another tap the stat window for his potion opened and they both leaned down to compare the numbers. Jemza's face turned towards him with a grin and a nod seeing that his potion was still a bit above what this floor had to offer.

"This is good. At least for this floor and maybe part of the next." He said retrieving his potion and reattaching it to the belt around his waist.

"Do you still have enough ingredients to hold out that long or should we head back down tonight?" Jayce opened the window of his inventory and pressed a button to place it into a mode that allowed Jemza to view. He pointed to the Amberthorn and the quantity displayed next to it.

"Should be good for a while still." He closed the window looking back down at the other materials the vendor had to offer.

"You're skilled in Mixing aren't you?" The man in the long cloak said from beside him. Jayce looked over realizing it wasn't a cloak, but something similar that also wrapped around the front of his body as well. What really took Jayce aback was the man's face. He was very handsome, and his features seemed European in descent.

"Ah, yes I am." The man smiled slightly pointing at the ingredients on the table.

"Same, there aren't many of us who risk slotting a crafting skill. The selection here is probably of no use to you if you can make those potions. Another town or two further on this floor might be better." The man's voice was measured, but smooth. A sense of confidence behind each word he spoke drew Jayce in.

"What do you mean risk?" The man looked past Jayce to Jemza who had asked the question.

"At these low levels we are afforded very few slots for skills. Crafting does nothing to increase your survivability like an armor skill or weapon skill would. It also takes time and money to continue to gain experience in a crafting skill. On the other hand, a couple like yourselves can make up for it as opposed to being solo." Jayce coughed once trying not to choke on his own breath.

"We're not a couple, but what you said makes sense." Jemza answered calmly ignoring her partner's inability to breath.

"My mistake then. Here…take a look." The man pulled one side of his cloak-like garment aside and produced a bottle of liquid. A glint caught Jemza's eye making her eyes widen.

"Hey! That's a Moonlit Silver Dirk right?" He followed her gaze down to the dagger belted to his hip. He then looked to hers seeing the same weapon attached and nodded in understanding.

"A rare weapon which suits us dagger wielders well for some time yes. Congratulations on yours as well. If you upgrade it carefully it should serve you through the next floor I believe." Jemza's eyes sparkled in excitement hearing that her dagger would remain useful.

"What is that?" Jayce asked pointing to the bottle the man held. He tapped it and turned it so the two could look at the window that appeared.

"Greater Lvl. 1 Healing Potion huh?" The white haired girl said aloud. Jayce looked up at the man after staring in awe at the potion for a few seconds.

"That's the next tier rare healing potion after mine isn't it?" The man smiled in response tossing the potion up into the air. After a slight bobble Jayce caught it safely looking at the liquid inside.

"There's a type of kobold back down on the first floor that has a chance to drop the ingredient needed for those. It's a low chance, but since you have that sword on your back and that dagger on your hip I don't think that would bother you." The man motioned towards Jayce and Jemza's weapons as he mentioned them.

"Thanks so much. Nice to meet someone else with the same skill I chose." Jayce held the potion back towards the man, but he waved it away casually.

"Keep it, people like us need to rely on one another. Good luck to you both."

"You too." Jayce answered as the man gave a wave and walked away back towards the central plaza.

"He knew his stuff."

"Must be a beta tester. This floor just opened and he mentioned next towns." Jayce said and the girl beside him nodded.

"Probably. He was quite good looking too, even with the tattoo." Jayce turned towards her raising an eyebrow questioningly. Ignoring the ever so slight pang of jealousy he was more curious about the second part of her sentence.

"Tattoo?" Now it was her turn to stare at him.

"On the side of his face. Not sure how you missed it."

"Oh well, doesn't matter I guess. He looked like a combination of you and I. Daggers, Mixing, and I assume with his cloak thingy Hiding." Jayce said and Jemza laughed, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Cloak thingy? It's called a poncho dummy. Come on, I want my dinner now." He rolled his eyes as she continued to laugh, following her as she walked away.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Restaurants, pubs, and other various eateries within Aincrad tended to offer food that corresponded to the local wildlife of the floor it existed on. In particular, the second floor was home to countless bovine creatures and in fact was the main theme of this floor. As such, the meals were typically of the beef variety including steaks, chops, and roasts. The higher quality dishes typically were quite expensive. A fact not lost on Jayce who now glared across the table at Jemza who happily chewed on another bite.

"Enjoying yourself?" The disdain in his voice was thick and the effect not lost on Jemza who looked up and flashed a wide smile.

"Oh yes. I am very satisfied with this meal thank you very much." She jabbed her fork down into another piece of meat and lifted it slowly towards her mouth. Her movements were so slow that she was clearly trying to irritate him more than he already was.

"Good, because this place cost more than the entirety of your new wardrobe." Jemza popped the meat into her mouth and chewed it while pointing the fork at Jayce wagging it around.

"You know…the other day you barely said more than a few words. Now, you don't know when to keep your mouth shut." Her smile came back once more as she finished speaking before quickly stabbing the prongs of the fork down into another piece of meat that she sarcastically ate.

"Why were you even in the Town of Beginnings today?" He had already promised her a meal so there was no point in continuing to vent his frustration about the cost to her. Instead, he was still curious as to how easily they seemed to bump into each other in Urbus.

"Isn't it obvious? The second floor was opened up. A lot of people were there for the opening of the portal." Jemza was a lot of different things. She was complex to be sure and being a woman meant that Jayce could not fully understand her at times. It was probably the same way she felt about him being a man. However, for all her complexities at least for right now it was clear she was lying. Or, rather than lying she was obfuscating the truth behind the convenience of the portal being opened.

"You were in Horunka, how'd you know it was opening?" The girl stopped chewing and set her fork down on the plate. It was her turn to glare at him from across the table in response to his question. A question that undoubtedly came out more like an accusation.

"Why are you so concerned with where I go all of a sudden? Is there a problem with me being in the Town of Beginnings?"

"Alright…fine." Jayce answered flipping open his system menu and navigating to the Messaging tab. Her eyes widened slightly as she watched him.

"Hey? What are you doing?"

"Did you know that if someone purchases information about you, that in turn you can pay to find out who did it and what they found out. Basically you can purchase information regarding the person who made the original inquiry. Just part of Argo's business." Her wide eyes grew and panic swept over her face. The sound of plates and silverware clanged loudly as she half dove over the table grabbing his arms to stop him.

"No don't! I was worried alright?" He stopped tapping on the keyboard looking down at the girl half laid across the table holding his wrists. They both glanced around at other patrons who were now staring at them in amusement. Jemza slinked back into her chair while Jayce canceled the message and closed the window.

"You could have just messaged me directly. What happened in Horunka was my fault and between you and I. It makes sense now why Argo showed up this morning at my room. I assume you told her what happened in exchange for my location right?" Jemza nodded timidly folding her hands on the table.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know if you would even respond to me. Argo and you seem pretty close and it's her job so I panicked and messaged her instead."

"Well, in the moment I probably wouldn't have responded so I guess it's really my fault in the end. Argo and I aren't close or anything like that. I don't know if she is capable of getting close to anyone. Can we agree to not purchase or sell information about each other from now on?"

"You already promised not to run out like last time so yeah I can agree to that. I'm sorry again." She seemed to return back to her relaxed state and straightened the plate ahead of her, retrieving her fork. Watching her eat Jayce decided now was the best time to bring up the other concern that had been weighing on his mind.

"So, after we're done here…are we done?" He didn't ask the question in a tone that indicated that it was what he desired. To the contrary there was a hint of concern in his voice when he asked, but it was important to know what her motivations were.

"If I'm being honest I can't really make that decision. I've never really had the luxury to be in this situation before." She answered staring back at him. Jayce furrowed his brow trying to understand what she meant.

"I'm pretty sure being trapped in a video game is a unique situation for all of us." She let a small laugh out in response, but shook her head.

"No, not that. You're the first person I've spent this much time with in many years. I don't really have any friends." Was she talking about the game or real life? It seemed like she was referring to things outside of SAO, but how could what she said be true?

"I don't understand; I mean you're…" He stopped himself before finishing the sentence. He almost called her beautiful to her face which would have caused all sorts of problems. The last thing she needed was some guy online focusing on her physical traits. He saw the briefest of smiles cross her lips as he fell silent and then it was gone.

"Who we are here, is not who we are there." There was sadness in her voice. She was definitely talking about the real world which inherently made Jayce nervous. Worse than gawking at her body would be prying into her personal life. Whatever she was talking about was clearly personal and not something she was happy about.

"Yeah, I get it. I don't have any either so I can relate." She tilted her head slightly, but didn't question him about it. Instead she leaned forward slightly resting her chin on her hands and blinked slowly a few times.

"So…what should we do?" Jayce swallowed hard staring into her eyes that always seemed to make his heart pound. It was amplified by the way she spoke, almost like she was daring him. With his better judgement arguing against him he forced his voice out after a long silence.

"I would like to stay with you." More than a whisper, but less than a mumble the words spilled out. He was terrified that she might ask him to repeat himself, but she didn't.

"Took a month to clear the first floor. Unless they speed up we'll be here for the better part of a decade. You really want to stay with me that long?" Jemza asked while still leaning on her hands, but now she wore the playful grin that tended to show itself when she was enjoying herself at someone else's expense. While she was having fun, the question she posed made Jayce stop and think. The scope of their situation was undoubtedly dire when realizing that based off current progression it would take over eight years to clear the game. Their real bodies had to be in medical facilities right now keeping them alive on machines. It was the only plausible scenario, but could their bodies endure that many years laid out in hospital beds?

"Do you have family?" Jayce was breaking the biggest rule of online gaming by asking her, but the thought of being trapped here for almost a decade concerned him for those waiting for her to come home. He knew nothing about who Jemza really was outside of this game and what sacrifices her loved ones were making on her behalf. She sat back in her chair continuing to smile, but it now looked sad or maybe even desperate.

"No, there is no one waiting for me out there." Her answer brought a slight stabbing pain to his heart. She didn't seem offended or surprised about the personal question.

"What about your par…"

"Dead." She cut him off before he could finish the sentence. Her tone was flat showing no emotion behind it. She wasn't angry or irritated by his questions, but still, he was afraid that he was approaching dangerous territory with Jemza.

"Um…what about kids? Or you know a husband?" He knew it was a loaded question as he asked it. The fact of the matter was he still couldn't believe someone like her had no one waiting for her outside the game. That, and he was selfishly curious if he was irresponsibly spending time with a married woman. To his surprise she didn't even flinch at the question or show anything on her face. She never looked away or even blinked as far as he noticed.

"Jayce, there is no one out there waiting for me. If I die today, no one will care." Overwhelming regret began to fill Jayce. It broke his heart hearing her talk like this, and worse yet was her seriousness. There was no exaggeration in what she said. Her playful, upbeat attitude began to make sense to him. Maybe being trapped here in Aincrad was better than the life she lived in the real world.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have…wait…you called me by my name." He almost hadn't noticed that the last thing she said included his name in it. Not _Alchemist_ like normal, but his real name. Or his character name to be exact.

"You seem to be a real person now. Not just a depressed NPC Alchemist." The sadness on her face washed away shifting back to her playful smile.

An hour later they both found an Inn and purchased separate rooms to spend the night in. Tomorrow would be their first venture out onto the new floor which brought equal amounts of excitement and fear. For something like that they had both agreed a good night's rest would be beneficial. Jemza stopped at the door designated for her and unlocked it, pushing the door open.

"Thanks for the meal and talking with me Jayce." He quickly squashed the building excitement in him now that she was calling him by his name. Which he had to admit sounded so nice coming from her.

"Sure. Tomorrow then?" She nodded in response to his question stepping into her room.

"Tomorrow. Good night."

"Hey! Jemza?" She stopped the door from shutting just in time.

"Yeah?" Jayce shifted nervously for a second before forcing himself to look her in the eyes.

"I would care alright?" The skin on her cheeks darkened significantly and she looked away trying to hide a smile that was spreading across her lips.

"Goodnight Alchemist." The door shut without any further hesitation and Jayce held back his laughter. Of every expression Jemza had shown him, the smile she had tried to hide just now had been by far the most beautiful he'd ever seen. For once without a doubt he knew he had done and said the right thing. It would be the first time he could fall asleep while excited to wake up trapped in this world.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **December 5** **th** **, 2022**

"It's all your fault!"

"No, please it wasn't!"

"Hit her! Hit her harder!"

"Make her bleed!"

Jemza blinked her eyes letting them adjust to the light in her room. She waited a few moments letting her heart rate return to normal before taking a deep breath and letting it out. Swinging her legs towards the side of the bed she sat up and ran a hand down the front of her shirt. If this were the real world there was no doubt it would be covered in sweat, but here in Aincrad, nothing like that existed.

She could see sunlight beaming down onto the floorboards from the window across from where she sat. A quick glance at the corner of her peripheral vision showed the time as after ten in the morning. Far later than she anticipated sleeping and most likely very late to meet Jayce. There was no indicator of a message and he hadn't knocked on her door which meant either he left without saying anything or was too hesitant to wake her.

After walking across the room she leaned on the frame of the window looking out over the front of the Inn. She giggled and shook her head seeing a man in a black hooded cloak looking around impatiently while he leaned on one of the wooden supports. Swiping an index finger downward she opened the system menu and switched to the Inventory tab.

Moving away from the window she tapped once on the Remove all outer clothing button causing her t-shirt and shorts used for sleeping to disappear from her body. A mirror was situated above a small table nearby and she stood in front of it turning a few inches each way to look over her own body. Bodily injuries and blemishes didn't exist in SAO, but from time to time she felt the self-conscious pull to verify it herself. The Nerve Gear mapped out the entire body of the user which always made her scared just how much the headset could replicate.

Like all the other times she checked before, the girl in the mirror that stared back at her was devoid of any physical flaws. In many ways it was painful looking at her own reflection. It was a constant reminder of what she could have been if things were different. At least here, in Aincrad, none of that mattered. For as long as they were trapped here she could find bits of happiness. With that thought the girl in the mirror who stood in nothing but her underwear smiled with the knowledge that being free from this world would not be coming anytime soon.

Tapping on each piece of equipment and clothing in the Inventory tab materialized them onto Jemza's body. Before long she spun in front of the mirror happily content with how she looked. Her dagger appeared on her waist as she returned to the window looking down at Jayce who continued to fidget impatiently clearly waiting for her. She rested a palm on the glass closing her eyes.

"I guess we all have pasts that haunt us…right?"

Ten minutes later Jemza bounded down the stairs of the Inn two at a time hitting the landing and bouncing off the wall to reverse her momentum and run out the front door. NPC's and players alike within the ground floor of the Inn watched her in confusion until the door slammed shut behind her.

"I'm so sorry, I'm late!" The hooded man turned towards her voice and a look of relief crossed his face.

"We didn't actually set a time so it's no big deal. Next time we can settle on a time." Jemza nodded in agreement looking around at the town. Players and NPC's moved about since it was well into the morning. Shops and Craftsmen were open for business and numerous players poured over the services and wares offered. It seemed like even more players from the first floor had found their way up here overnight.

"Were you waiting long? What time did you get up?"

"Eight." Jemza's head slowly turned towards him her mouth slightly open.

"You ate and everything though right? Maybe went shopping?" Jayce stared back at her blankly as if unsure how to answer her questions.

"No, thought you'd want to eat together." His answer only served to make her stare of disbelief grow larger.

"Have you been waiting here for me? For over two hours?"

"Yep." Her mouth closed and her face turned completely red as if she were holding her breath or a large amount of pressure was building up inside her face.

"Hah! Idiot." If only there were items that allowed pictures to be taken. The look on his face in that moment would have been worthy of capturing. Complete and utter shock with a mixture of dumbfounded was exactly what was splayed across him. Without waiting for a response she marched away swinging her arms enthusiastically, head held high.

"Next time I won't wait then princess." Jayce muttered from behind as he caught up to her.

"Was that sarcasm I detected? Dare I say that you are joking around and being funny? Who are you and what have you done with the real Jayce?" Jemza spun walking backwards pointing her finger accusingly at him.

"What's the plan then? We won't have any real information on this floor for another day or two. At least not until Argo releases her strategy guide." Jemza spun forward letting his clear dismissal of their playful banter go and thought about it for a few seconds.

"Let's stay close to Urbus and see what level the creatures are. Considering we didn't even see everything on the first floor things may be too high here and we'll be forced to go back down."

After stopping to grab something to eat, the pair walked along the cobblestone road heading East until they reached the edge of the crater the town was built into. As they stepped out of the town limits the protection afforded in the Safe Zone of Urbus was gone and they were susceptible to everything. Ahead of them large open fields of savannah stretched as far as they could see. Boulders of various sizes dotted the landscape here and there, but otherwise the second floor was an open field.

"Wow…"

"Yeah, wow is right." Jemza had to agree with his sentiment. The duo was once more overcome with awe at the sheer ability of the Nerve Gear to provide such a world for them to live in. Or, to be more precise, a prison.

The pathway leading up towards the East entrance of Urbus wound down the side of the flat topped mountain it was built into opening up into the savannah. It took a bit of time to navigate the road down, but once they were free from the mountain, nothing but flat grasslands stood between them and wherever they wanted to go. To the South, a small distance away, they could make out the movement of large creatures milling about. While remaining aware of their surroundings they closed in until the cursors above the animals began to register.

Large cow-like animals roamed around the savannah bending their necks down to graze on the grass below their hooves. Twin horns protruded from their heads making for very dangerous weapons if they charged. Both Jemza and Jayce looked at each other and smiled because above the animals a pink cursor hovered indicating the two were still above the level of these creatures.

"Plan?" The man beside her asked quietly and she turned to face him grinning wickedly.

"Stabby stabby." It didn't matter the danger involved or that they didn't know what the creatures were capable of. This was different than when they fought the Little Nepenthes. There was an understanding between Jayce and herself after last night. She could go all out knowing that he would protect her, and the same held true that she would not hesitate to stand beside him against whatever came. They weren't just helping each other to gain a rare drop or complete a quest anymore. They were partners now.

"Go!" Jemza leapt forward on his command sprinting ahead as fast as her agility parameters would allow. The animal, which now that she was closer, looked more like a bull than a cow turned and lowered its head. It snorted loudly and pawed at the ground, a universal sign that it was about to charge. Reaching down she unsheathed the Moonlit Silver Dirk from her waist rolling it between her fingers.

This was what it meant to be alive. The bull charged forward churning up dirt and grass in its wake. Mere fractions of inches before the twin horns gored into Jemza's chest she sidestepped nimbly letting the animal pass by her. Placing her hand on the pommel of the dagger she thrust the blade into the side of it drawing a glowing red line from its shoulder to half the length of its torso.

"Hah!" She continued her rotation activating a sword skill piercing the bull's hind quarters before it could fully leave her range. It staggered slightly unable to stop from the charge it had initiated. In a rage the animal shook its head wildly plowing forward towards Jayce who stood waiting, his sword held high.

Jemza watched as he mimicked her movement stepping aside before it could connect with his body. His sword glowed brightly for a moment beginning the predefined movement set for the sword skill Vertical. The blade chopped downward cutting into the back of the beast's neck. It crumpled under the weight of its body sliding along the grass a few feet before shattering into fragments of light. She jogged back towards him slipping the dagger back into the sheath on her waist.

"The experience is a lot better than the forest by Horunka. Two dagger strikes and a one hand sword skill took it down. We can do this." Jayce said sheathing his sword. Jemza came to a stop before him and nodded.

"Yeah, and our stats seem more than enough to avoid the charge attack." Jayce didn't seem to be paying attention to her as she spoke; his gaze wasn't even on her. She turned towards where he looked noticing a humanoid figure running towards them.

"Hey!" A younger looking male, probably in his teenage years ran over waving a hand. The two walked forward meeting him as he caught his breath. A green cursor above his head meant he was another player on the floor with them.

"Everything alright?" The young man didn't seem like he was in trouble, but the way he ran over still made her concerned that he knew something they didn't. With some luck perhaps he was a former beta tester going around helping people like her and Jayce. An axe was hanging from his waist as well as a small shield slung up over his back. A light breastplate of either iron or steel covered his torso for protection as well.

"Oh yes all good thanks. Saw you over here fighting these creatures and needed to run over to let you know that we got it under control." Jemza brushed a strand of her hair back over her ear and glanced at Jayce who was already looking back at her questioningly.

"You have what under control?" He asked while turning back to face the young man.

"We know how frequently they Pop and are following a set route to maximize experience. That one you killed is going to throw off our timing." A creature Pop was a term used in online games to define when an enemy creature or Mob as they sometimes were called appeared. As Mobs were defeated they would reappear after a set amount of time keeping the game filled with plenty of creatures for players to hunt.

"It was unattended and not in combat with anyone so I'm not sure what the problem is. There seems to be plenty of them." Jayce continued. The young man's face went from a friendly smile to a deep frown.

"Ah, well that just won't do. Like I said we have their spawn timers down to a science. We were taking a bit of a break to eat when you happened upon them. An honest mistake no doubt." Whoever this teenager was now began to irritate Jemza. He was talking like he owned the creatures out here.

"There was no mistake. It was a valid creature not in combat that we killed. We will continue to do so. We have no intention of attacking anything you are already fighting, but if we find them unengaged then it's ours." Jayce's hood turned slightly towards her as she spoke, but not enough that she could see his face. The player looked back and forth between them a few times before snorting once, shaking his head.

"Come on girl, it doesn't have to be like this. I've been nothing, but polite about this so just find somewhere else." What was irritation a moment ago was full blown rage now. Jemza's eyes grew and her hands balled into fists.

"Listen…kid." Jayce began using a similar manner of speech the player had used towards her. "You don't own this place. It's a big area and from the sounds of it you and your friends know what you're doing. This area is close to Urbus so I'm sure many other players will find their way here. I think it's time to learn how to share."

"I guess there's no helping it then. I tried to be polite." The smile returned to the young man's face, but it was one that put Jemza on edge instantly. It wasn't friendly and it certainly wasn't one that showed he was helpful. Jayce remained silent, but she noticed a slight movement under his cloak beside her. Was he preparing to draw his sword?

Attacking another player was unheard of since the death game of Sword Art Online began. While you were safe within towns or other designated Safe Areas, out here in the wild anything, including players, could freely attack you. Doing so would change your cursor from green to orange. This meant that the player had committed some sort of crime. They would be unable to enter towns until the cursor returned back to green. The greatest crime, which earned the player a permanent orange cursor, was killing another player. A common "crime" in all MMO games, but here in SAO where the death of your character meant the death of your body in real life meant something far more sinister. Murder.

"Heh, good luck." The player waved casually and walked away in the direction he had come from. Jemza relaxed slightly watching him leave, but beside her, Jayce still seemed on edge.

"You alright?" His hand appeared from within his cloak like he had in fact been prepared to draw. He continued to watch the other player walk away before turning towards her to respond.

"Yeah, I just have a bad feeling about him." The only positive thought in their minds was their comfort in knowing they were beside each other and not alone.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Half a dozen more bulls shattered into shards of light over the course of the next half an hour. As the last one fell Jemza and Jayce both received an extra window after the experience, col, and items listing. A congratulatory window signaling they had both leveled up to 9. Three more after this and they would earn another valuable skill slot. If things kept up how they were going this early into the second floor they would be able to reach level 12 within a day or two.

The bulls had followed a predictable pattern so far relying on a charge to inflict damage. The pair was able to avoid it easily enough therefor nullifying the bull's greatest offense. As long as they kept their distance it would continue to charge at them allowing free attacks as it passed by. Thus, it became their routine for Jemza to gain the creatures attention and attack after a dodge. Jayce functioned as a finisher using a sword skill to deplete the remaining health of the bull after Jemza's attack.

"Would it be tactless to say I'm having fun?" Jayce shook his head in response.

"No, I don't think so. Reality is we're trapped here for a long time. However long that may be this is our life now. We're alive so that's something to be thankful for." Jemza smirked while walking towards him. She punched him lightly on the shoulder before putting her hands on her hips.

"Look who's coming out of their shell! I still think you're an imposter. What changed with you?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I was so scared of dying here that I avoided doing anything short of the simplest of creatures. Even then I only hunted for just enough col to pay for my room. I felt safe there, but let's assume that best case scenario a floor was being completed every week. Ninety-nine more weeks is basically two full years, and again that's best case scenario. I can't live hiding in a room in the Town of Beginnings that long." Jemza listened to him explain everything nodding while he spoke.

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid. It's not like I want to die or that I'm not afraid of it. I just want to live my life without wasting any of it." She replied.

"I guess that's the same point I've gotten to now. I just needed something to live for." He said staring into her eyes. They continued to stare at each other in silence, Jemza's eyes narrowing slightly. The sound of virtual wind blowing across the open savannah was the only sound either could hear. After what seemed an eternity Jayce's face began to crack, his lip quivering slightly.

"That was smooth." As the words left her mouth Jayce finally let out the laughter he had been holding in.

"Right? I thought it was pretty good." She was laughing now too as he fought to catch his breath. She shook her head equally finding it hard to breath.

"A for effort sir, you earned it." Jayce bowed sarcastically in response, but as his upper half leaned forward he noticed something strange. Small, digitally created rocks and pebbles were scattered all throughout the open fields. Nothing was strange about that, except that they were vibrating. His body snapped upward and the smile on Jemza's face was already gone replaced with a deep concern.

"I feel it." As she voiced her confirmation of what he saw there was a definite tremble to the entire ground they stood on.

"Earthquake?" Jemza's head swiveled rapidly taking in their surroundings. Aside from the mountain behind them that Urbus was built into there was nothing but open savannah. The few trees and boulders that peeked out every so often were the only other notable features.

"I don't think so." Her voice was tinged with panic while the pair tried to find an answer to the unexplained phenomena occurring around them.

"What…is that?" Jayce pointed in the distance further south from their position. She followed his gesture and noticed a large cloud of dust growing in size. She took a few steps forward straining her eyes to identify the source.

"It looks like it's getting bigger." Just as she turned back to look at Jayce he grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him.

"Run! Just run!" The desperation in his voice was enough to convince her. Without fully knowing why she ran towards the mountain alongside Jayce. They hadn't traveled far from the mountain itself, but the road leading up the mountain towards Urbus was further. Glancing over their shoulders they could see the cloud growing larger as it gained on them.

"Jayce! What is it?" She was on the verge of screaming now. A feeling of terror leaked into her mind at whatever was chasing them. The man beside her gripped her hand tightly keeping her moving as fast as possible as they drew closer to the mountain.

"We need to get up higher!" His answer brought a renewed fear as she stared at the side of the mountain up ahead. They couldn't reach the gradually ascending slope of the roadway that led up towards Urbus. Instead they were faced with a nearly sheer wall of rock jutting high up into the air, jagged stones and outcroppings appearing here and there along its surface.

"Are you insane? We can't climb this!" They both came to a stop using their hands to stop their momentum pressing up against the stone. Without hesitating Jayce dropped her hand and grabbed her waist pushing her in front of him towards the mountain face.

"Go Jemza! Climb!" She wanted to argue, but behind him she could see the cloud of dust. It was already much closer than before and now she could see the seemingly infinite amount of bull creatures rampaging across the terrain towards them

"Oh my god Jayce!" Her white hair flew through the air in front of his face as she turned back towards the wall and began slowly moving up. Handholds were small and difficult to find and neither one of them had the skill Climbing. She felt his hands hold her legs helping her stay steady as she ascended.

"I'm right behind you!" She couldn't look down below, but trusted that he was following her as she reached up grabbing another sharp edged rock to hold onto. She was silently thankful that pain didn't exist because if this were real life her hand would be bloody and cut from the rocks she held onto.

"It's too steep!" A deafening sound filled their ears as the animals bore down on the area below them thundering across the land. Many pawed at the ground looking up at the pair as they climbed higher. Others locked horns with one another in predetermined algorithms to simulate real animal behavior. The bulk of the herd continued to trample across the grass circling below like vultures.

"Can you find a ledge or anything? We can't climb the whole way up!" Jemza looked left and right trying to find anything that would serve as a place they could rest, but nothing was in sight.

"Nothing! There's…" Climbing was a skill modified further by your Strength parameters. Jemza had been focusing on her Agility stat from the very beginning. Having neither the skill nor the parameters required to perform the actions she had been taking finally took its toll and weightlessness kicked in as her hold failed and she tumbled free from the cliff.

"No!" Fifty feet above the ground Jemza kicked against the wall of the mountain one hand held tightly in Jayce's while her other tried to find something to grab onto. Having already exhausted the limits of her character's ability to climb, the system refused to let her hand find any purchase. Every rock she saw that looked easy enough to grab slipped from her grasp each time. She looked up as Jayce dangled precariously from one hand supporting their weight on a rock extending a few inches out of the side of the rock face.

"I can't grab on! It won't let me!" Jemza's legs kicked underneath her body while the animals continued to circle below anxiously. Jayce's hand slipped a few centimeters until only his fingers remained locked in place on the stone. With his higher Strength he was afforded more lenience while climbing, but with Jemza's added weight and a single hand holding them his time was running out.

"I've got you…we're alright." Every word was strained and he gritted his teeth trying to force his arm to lift her up. It was then that Jemza fully understood what had gone through his mind when the Little Nepenthes almost killed her. How someone as scared as him could make such a selfless sacrifice without hesitation. She knew because as she looked up at him the same calmness and resolve now washed all her fears away.

"We're both going to fall. It's not high enough to be fatal, let me go."

"Shut up! Those things will tear you apart!" His arm refused to lift her weight any further leaving her hanging over the horde of bulls.

"You don't have a choice." She used her free hand to swipe down opening the system menu. She tapped once and looked back up at him.

"Please…not again, I can save you this time!" It hurt more than anything before in her life. Whatever demons the man holding her hand faced were once more playing out before his eyes and she could do nothing for him. The best she could do was one single action.

"No, this time I'll save you." With one more tap her gloves disappeared from her hands forcing his grip to falter. He screamed as her body bounced off the rocks, tumbling into the stampede of animals below.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Damage incurred falling from great heights was a fixed amount modified by the Agility parameter of the character. The first few impacts on the wall of the mountain jostled her senses harshly, but as the ground rushed up towards her face Jemza hit the ground throwing her weight forward into a roll to further lessen the impact. Her health bar depleted to just above the halfway point as she came to her feet, dagger unsheathed and already thrusting ahead at the nearest bull trying to charge her.

Lights erupted from her hand as the blade drove forward activating Wasp's Sting. It plunged to the hilt into the beast's neck. She retracted the dagger and spun to meet the next animal seeing its head thrashing wildly. Its proximity was too close to activate another sword skill forcing her to dive to the side lightly scratching its hide as it passed. Light pink cursors and health bars of the animals filled her vision everywhere making it nearly impossible to focus.

"Gah!" Her back arched and everything spun wildly without warning. The head of one of the creatures had found her back exposed and sent her tumbling through the air. She hit the ground landing in a heap. She crawled to her hands and knees just in time for a pair of hooves to catch her side spinning her a dozen feet away. Her health flashed yellow and began blinking rapidly indicating that she was rapidly closing in on death.

"Get off me!" Her voice roared as she rolled backwards avoiding another bull rearing back to stamp down on her prone body. She sent the dagger forward into its soft underbelly tearing a glowing line up through its neck. Instinct had now kicked in and all semblance of grace and skill were thrown out the window. She slashed the dagger around in a frenzy warding off any of the creatures that came into range. Her legs barely managed to stay upright as another bull caught her flank sending her skidding along the ground. It scraped the ground with its hoof angrily while she sucked down large gulps of air.

"You want to kill me? Then come on! Kill me!" The blinking bar of health in the upper left of her vision dipped into the red as she screamed at the bull ahead of her. It dug into the dirt in response launching itself forward, lowering its horns. Jemza spread her legs wide flipping the dagger around in a reverse grip the palm of her left hand resting on the pommel. A second animal began charging from her left, both converging on her rapidly while still more began to ready themselves to join.

Less than a dozen feet from her the lead bull crumpled to the ground under the weight of Jayce landing on its back, his blade pierced through the center of the neck. The bull charging in from her left deviated from its path bringing its heading straight at Jayce. The creature below him shattered apart letting him roll forward with the momentum and slash his sword across the legs of the bull bearing down on him. It crashed into the grass spinning away while a third animal drove its horns into him from the side. The Anneal Blade fell from his hand as he grabbed both horns desperately trying to keep them from his chest. Pushed to his back the bull shook its head furiously trying to drive the horns through his chest.

"I'll kill you!" Jemza put the blade of her dagger in her mouth biting down on the metal to keep in secure. Sprinting ahead, both hands grabbed the back of a bull running perpendicular to her vaulting over its back. She dropped to her knees skidding along the grass as she passed underneath the legs of another animal before pushing herself back up and dove headfirst at the bull thrashing its head down into Jayce. Her hand wrapped around the handle of the dagger retrieving it from her mouth and plunged it into the side of the bull's neck. Faster than Jayce could see, her dagger retracted and pierced back into the animal's hide repeatedly until it fell away breaking apart into pixels.

Jayce quickly swiped open the system menu and equipped his old Iron Longsword before regaining his footing beside Jemza. More of the creatures charged around their vicinity trapping them in the center as others readied attacks. Jemza shook her head once to flip her hair back out of her eyes that had come loose during the fall. The hood of Jayce's cloak had equally fallen back as the two watched the mobs circle.

Jayce reached down to his belt and retrieved the potion he had kept from the man they met in Urbus. Without taking his eyes off the bull's he held his hand out towards Jemza. She took it from him and lifted it to her lips drinking the contents. Her health bar began to refill slowly, but faster than a normal potion would normally provide. The empty bottle flew from her hands as she tossed it away letting it break apart once it hit the ground.

"Mad at me?" She didn't dare look away from the bulls to respond to his question. She rotated around him until she could press her back up against his.

"You're an idiot, but right now…I'm really happy about it." She heard a quick laugh come from behind her.

"Then I guess it all works out." She smiled at his words and shook her head.

"Jayce? I don't want to die. Not yet." Her left hand reached around behind her back between the two of them. A moment later his offhand grabbed hers. Three bulls stopped circling and lowered their heads lining up their charges.

"Me neither. So let's go home." Their hands separated as the animals pushed ahead bringing their horns down. The duo twisted to avoid the charge watching as they collided into each other, stunning themselves in the process. Sword and dagger fell upon them before the effect could wear off destroying them just in time for Jayce and Jemza to react to the next bull roaring in.

Jayce ducked low while Jemza rolled over his back to put herself between the bull and him. She slashed at it once before falling aside to let Jayce's sword finish the job. The next mob was still twenty feet away and Jayce grabbed her hand spinning her through the air. He let go sending her flying towards it before it could even initiate a charge. She flipped once in the air before driving her dagger into the face of the bull. The weight of her body pushed the weapon as deep as it would go.

A determined grin appeared on her lips as she sensed another bull about to attack before she could react. She smiled because she knew, before it even happened, that her partner was already catching up behind her ready to intercept before she would be in any immediate danger. A second later she heard the sound of the animal topple to the ground having been caught by Jayce's sword.

After the two animals disappeared an eerie calm settled over the area. They both shifted placing their backs to each other once more as the herd of bulls looked around as if they were confused. For half a minute the animals wandered aimlessly showing no aggression before turning and walking back towards the open savannah. Even the ones behind them walked around and passed by without incident. The two watched warily until the last of them was a good distance away.

Jayce closed his eyes and took a deep breath walking over to retrieve his Anneal Blade from the ground. After swapping it back onto his belt he turned and saw Jemza still standing where she had been, head held down. Her hand moved slowly placing the dagger back on her hip, but he could see from where he stood that she was shaking. Her other hand tried to brush her hair back over her ear, but it fell back down over her face.

"Jemza…" He took a few steps toward her, but before he could finish she marched ahead closing the distance and balled her fist. On instinct he closed his eyes waiting for her strike, but what he felt was her fist drop onto his chest with no strength behind it. Her other hand wrapped around his back and her forehead pushed against his chest next to where her fist was. He opened his eyes while she raised her fist and once more beat it on his cuirass lightly.

"Idiot." Her voice cracked now that the adrenaline had worn off. Artificial tears fell from her eyes as she kept her head down against him so he couldn't see. Her shoulders shuddered harder as he put his arms around her back holding her tight. He couldn't see her face, but she buried her face against his armor letting everything out audibly. Her strength gave out and they both fell to their knees. The only thing he could do was let her cry against him.

The greatest mystery at that moment wasn't what caused the stampede, but something else that neither one noticed. As Jemza clung to hit back and he held her neither one received a message from the Anti-Harassment System.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"You two have to be the most accident prone, trouble finding couple in Aincrad. There I was battling ferociously against six, no twelve minotaurs when I received the desperate cry for help from Jayce! It was then I knew that I must survive death's mighty clutches so that I might return to lend aid in return for competitive pricing!" The girl threw her hands up into the air dramatically baring her teeth in a wide smile.

"Translation…you were doing quests, I sent you a message to meet us whenever you were free, and now that it's evening you came back to rest for the night and want to make some money off us? I miss anything?" Jayce set the mug down on the table staring flatly into the brown colored hood of the girl in front of him.

"You forgot the competitive pricing part." She lowered her arms, placing them on the table.

"I'm sure you're busy right now Argo, so thanks for making time." Jemza sat next to Jayce and was much more receptive to Argo's demeanor than he was right now.

"See? This is why her pricing is far more competitive than yours. She has manners." The arrival of the NPC waitress blocked off any sort of rebuttal he had. Argo quickly placed an order for a dish that Jayce knew was very expensive. Convenient, since Jemza and he had offered to treat her to dinner for taking time off her strategy guide to meet.

"How's the guide coming along?" Jemza asked after placing her own order with the waitress.

"So far so good. I'll be sure you both get it right away, and of course it will be free of charge to good friends like you two." Jayce rolled his eyes in response as she spoke.

"You put them on consignment merchants for free to all players."

"Do I? Doesn't seem like something I'd do." Argo tapped her chin pretending to be oblivious to Jayce's accusation. His fists opened and closed angrily trying to weather the usual pretense of conversations with Argo.

"We thought maybe you could explain what happened to us today. I assume a random stampede is not a normal occurrence on this floor?" Jemza's calmness towards Argo was something Jayce was extremely thankful for. She seemed immune to Argo's personality.

"Correct, the mobs in question have set locations and behaviors in line with typical creatures like the boars and wolves on the first floor. That is to say that they aren't considered _intelligent_ like kobolds or minotaurs. The bulls that you say attacked you are programmed like normal animals and will act as such. Kobolds and minotaurs will react more intelligently when attacked calling out for help and the such." Argo's explanation only raised more questions as to how the stampede could happen. With a sigh Jayce proceeded down the next logical questioning path while opening up his system menu with his right hand.

"Then something else, outside the normal programming caused it to happen. What kind of things can cause that?" Argo thought for a few moments before holding up a hand with all five fingers outstretched. Jayce tapped on his menu a few times materializing a small bag and tossed it across the table. Jemza watched curiously at their silent interaction, but otherwise remained silent.

"It's called a Lure and is pretty rare. It only works on the creature it is meant for and to be honest in the current state of the game I wouldn't think anyone would use it."

"What do you mean? What use does it normally have?" Jemza's interest was perked now that there seemed to be answers to what happened in the savannah today. Argo finished counting the five hundred col in the bag Jayce had tossed her and placed it into her inventory.

"If this weren't a game where dying was real then people could use the Lure to attract creatures into sizable groups making them easier to hunt. Basically it is used to make gaining experience more efficient. Instead of you doing the legwork, the Lure brings the mobs to you." Something Argo said clicked for Jayce and he shook his head, slamming a fist on the table startling both girls.

"That son of a…you said normally using a Lure makes killing the creatures more efficient right? Most people are concerned with survival in this game not efficiency. It makes sense though, using it to corral the mobs around and kill them quickly for experience. If we were to, let's say, interrupt that efficiency the owning player could leave the Lure to attract the mobs towards those who interrupted you right?" Jemza's mouth fell open slightly and Argo looked around before leaning forward closer to the pair.

"You're insinuating a player attempted to MPK you?" MPK or Monster Player Kill was a term used when another player would cause monsters to kill another player on purpose. Whether by running the creatures through another player's radius or using a Lure as Argo called it, a player could cause the death of another without ever laying a finger on them.

"You think that kid we met did this? He tried to…kill us?" Jemza's voice was past the point of shock and now bordered on disbelief.

"It makes sense. He tried to get us to leave and spoke about the efficiency his group was already having while hunting the bulls. We argued and stayed regardless, and you can't deny that how he talked when he left sounded threatening." Argo looked between the two of them watching as Jemza tried to formulate a counter.

"No, you're right, but seriously Jayce. You think he would go that far?" The man could only shrug in return. There was no way to know what that other player had been thinking.

"They aren't frequent at all, but it wouldn't be the first time an MPK happened. Sometimes it's an accident, like when a player runs from a fight and inadvertently crosses into another player's area. Or if something causes more mobs to spawn, overwhelming everyone in the vicinity. Other times, it is malicious and on purpose." Argo's voice was low now to make sure no one overheard them.

"Alright, thanks Argo." The girls both blinked simultaneously a few times as the man pushed his chair back and stood. Their food hadn't even arrived yet and he was already looking to leave as if there were something important he had to do.

"Oi! Alchemist, where are you going? Back down to the first floor to hide in the Town of Beginnings again?" Argo was the first to speak up pushing herself up out of the chair. Jemza couldn't help but notice her tone of voice. Was she challenging him, and if so, why did it sound like she was enjoying it? Jayce looked back at the small girl for a few moments.

"No, I'm done hiding. I'm going to find that little punk that did this and get some answers."

"And what'll you do when you find him eh? Sounds dangerous." Argo's voice never wavered, nor did it even come close to sounding like she was actually concerned for his safety.

"He tried to kill us which means he'd be willing to kill others. Maybe he already has I don't know. I'm going to find him and see if he really tried to MPK us." Jemza swallowed hard not sure what to say. The way Jayce was talking was more determined than she'd ever heard from him. Even more than he was when taking on the quest for his sword.

"If it turns out he did try to kill you?" Argo's eyes were narrow now, and dangerous. Like a hunter preparing to pounce on prey.

"I'll return the favor." Without waiting for a response he turned and walked away ignoring the fact that they hadn't eaten yet. Jemza quickly pushed her chair back and stood.

"Why did you do that? You should have told him not to! It's almost like you want him to do this!" Her anger was beginning to show now as she yelled at Argo. Thankfully, the only people nearby were NPC's. The painted whiskers on Argo's face twitched slightly, but her smile never disappeared.

"I simply confirmed a bit of information I had been curious about Miss White. That man knows the pain of losing someone he loves more than many others. Perhaps even more than anyone in this game, so here's something on the house because we're good friends. He's prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again. Just think about that for a bit, you might get it. Now hurry or you'll lose him." The brown hood sank back down as she dropped her body back into the chair and kicked her feet up onto the table.

"Tch!" Jemza shook her head and turned running after Jayce. Rain was pouring down onto the streets and she had to shield her eyes to catch sight of him. She jogged in his direction until she came up next to him at last.

"Sorry, I wasn't going to leave without talking to you, I just needed to get some air and walk for a bit." Against the sound of raining falling she could still hear him and forced a smile. At least this time he had thought of her and hadn't been running away. She opened her mouth to respond, but closed it as she felt something fall over her body and head. She glanced over at him seeing that the black hooded cloak he wore was absent. Her fingers ran along the edge of the fabric that now covered her shoulders and head.

"Thanks." It wasn't like she was in danger of catching a cold. The rain that soaked their bodies would dry quickly once indoors due to how the game functioned. Nonetheless, it was a gesture not lost on her. As they walked along the road through the rain she couldn't help but think about what Argo had told her. Jayce had lost loved ones before. That was common for a lot of people, but it was the second part that now wracked her brain.

When she told him that she had no family or friends, he had said he was the same. If that were true, then there were no loved ones left for him to lose. Why then did Argo say that he was prepared to make sure it never happened again? The incident today only affected Jayce and herself. No matter how she thought of it, the events could not endanger anyone outside the game so who exactly was he protecting right now? The only person in game that had been in danger today was…

"Me…"

"What's that?" Jayce asked looking over at her, but she shook her head quickly. She looked at him from the edge of the hood analyzing everything about him that she could. She pulled the cloak tight around her body unsure if she had now understood what Argo had told her. Jayce didn't want to lose another person he loved…the only person besides Argo he knew, was her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Jemza had been uncharacteristically silent during the walk towards the same inn they had stayed at last night. Something was clearly on her mind which Jayce interpreted as concern surrounding the very real possibility that another player tried to kill them. Considering how badly he had handled being trapped in the game he was amazed that he wasn't overcome with the urge to run and hide. Something about this type of problem was easier to handle. It felt almost familiar in many ways and it was something he understood.

He held the door open for her as they entered the inn and she continued walking more like an NPC than an actual player. She had to be more worried than he originally thought. Inside towns like Urbus they were safe. Even if hundreds of players fell upon them right now they would not incur a single point of damage due to the Safe Zone status all towns had. This fact seemed to be doing little to calm Jemza who every so often would glance his way and then look away quickly.

"Good evening, what can I get for you?" The NPC innkeeper in this particular establishment was an older grizzled man holding a mug in one hand and a washcloth in the other. He ran the cloth around the inside of the mug repeatedly before setting it aside and placing his hands on the counter between them.

"Two rooms for the night."

"Ah!" The sound from Jemza nearly made Jayce jump in surprise. She had been so quiet during the walk that he assumed she wanted to be left to her own thoughts, but now she looked strange. Whatever was going on in her mind right now was causing severe indecisiveness and it looked like it was tearing her apart.

"It's fine, just rest tonight I'll pay for it. Been a long day for us both so just try to relax." Jayce mentally patted himself on the back after that. Not that he didn't mean what he said, but there was a certain selfish pride to be had in being a gentleman.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" The mental patting stopped and Jayce had to blink repeatedly trying to discern if he had misheard the girl beside him. Even the innkeeper looked between the two a bit confused as to what service he should provide.

"Uh…wha…um…?" Goodbye intelligent thoughts and rationality. Jayce's brain entered full panic mode as Jemza shifted back and forth on her feet nervously. He hadn't misheard her so for him the only response he could make was to stand, staring at her stupidly with his mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

"P…please." Now it sounded like she was begging him. What had she been thinking about during the entire walk here? None of this made sense. Why was she asking for something as shocking as this? Worst of all, Jayce didn't know what to do. Should he do what she asked and share a room with her? Didn't that mean they would be sleeping in the same room? Maybe even the same bed?

He reached up to pull the hood of his cloak tighter to hide his face and only then remembered she was still wearing his cloak. Instead he now stood with his hand awkwardly situated near the side of his face. The innkeeper took a deep breath and cleared his throat still waiting for either of the two to decide what exactly was happening. Jemza still looked like she was about to burst from a myriad of emotions running through her.

"Hurry." Her voice was barely a whisper and if Jayce's head wasn't already spinning, now it kicked into overdrive. She was a grown woman and he was a grown man wasn't it natural for these type of things to happen? They had only spent a few days together, but it had been many hours and it's not like they didn't get along. Did she have feelings for him and now they were overflowing waiting to be released?

"Just one." Jayce finally managed to say trying to conceal his own emotions. The innkeeper took his money and produced a key which Jayce took. With a glance at Jemza he headed for the stairs with her following close behind. As if on instinct he quickly looked around the inn trying to make sure no one was watching. Or, to be more precise, to make sure a certain brown hooded rat wasn't around.

After feeling confident that they weren't being watched he led them to the room assigned to them and opened the door letting Jemza walk in first. He followed behind her taking one last look down either end of the hallway before shutting the door. Jemza fell onto the couch in the room and took a deep breath. A profound look of relief came over her and she looked up at him smiling slightly.

"Sorry, ever since you brought up that the kid we met today may have tried to kill us I've been a bit scared. Every person we passed I kept thinking would pull a knife or something. I can handle mobs no problem, but players killing each other really got to me." She leaned back and closed her eyes looking almost completely back to her normal self.

"Yeah, but we're safe in town." Things were starting to fall apart for him and he was starting to feel very, very stupid.

"I know, but it's still scary that someone could be watching our every move. I'm sure that kid thinks we're dead, but if he found out we're not what would he do? Will he try again? Follow us and ambush us when we least expect it? In a room like this no one can hear or see us so it's the safest possible place. Thanks for being so nice and understanding." The final fragment shattered apart as Jayce realized the girl on the couch wasn't asking to stay with him because of some desire for him. It was because she was scared and looking to feel safe.

"I see." Jayce walked past her mentally punching himself in the stomach instead of the pat on the back. A pretty girl asked to stay in a room with him and his first thought was that she was interested in him. He couldn't help but feel like a stereotypical man jumping to conclusions. It physically hurt just thinking about it.

"Oh…I get it. You thought I wanted to share a room for other reasons?" His eyes shot open and his head snapped towards the white haired girl who was on the verge of tears from laughter. In his stupor he had forgotten one very important part of Jemza. Her uncanny ability to read exactly what was on his mind.

"I did not!" He sounded like he was in grade school arguing about something. It was pathetic and probably one of the most blatant lies he could tell. It only caused her to howl louder. She even went so far as to fall off the couch clutching at her stomach the whole time.

"Ahaha! That's priceless!" Her fist hit the floor repeatedly adding more to her over dramatization of the entire situation. Jayce sulked on the other side of the room understanding that he deserved everything he was getting right now.

"It's not funny! You didn't exactly explain yourself, what was I supposed to think?" Jemza wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up.

"No, no, you're right. I'm sorry I was just really scared and knew I'd feel safest with you. The game prevents any sort of inappropriate contact, and even if it didn't I trust you. You had the opportunity to before and did nothing so there was no need to worry." With the laughter gone from her voice she now spoke normally and honestly.

"I wouldn't do that." This time there was no lie behind what he said. Regardless the misunderstanding he would never do anything to hurt Jemza. Not after what he had done in Horunka. She smiled in response and nodded.

"I know, thank you." She reached up and pulled the cloak off before getting to her feet. She approached and held it out towards him. He took the cloth from her hands and placed it into his inventory.

"You're welcome." He pulled one of the blankets off the bed as well as a pillow and dropped it onto the couch before sitting down. Jemza looked at him quizzically as he spread the blanket out.

"What are you doing?" He looked up at her in response shrugging.

"Making a place where I can sleep."

"You don't have to do that; I can sleep on the couch." He shook his head in response opening his inventory once more and removed his boots.

"Take the bed, today seems like it was a lot harder on you than me." She seemed to hesitate for a few moments before reluctantly climbing onto the bed. With a few taps on the inventory panel Jayce removed his sword, armor, and potions. He could hear the sound effects of Jemza doing the same on the bed. She crawled under the blanket, pulling it up over her head. The inventory equipment sound effect occurred once more from underneath making him shake his head and look away respectfully. She was most likely changing into whatever she wore for sleeping which would first require her to remove everything except underwear.

"I shouldn't be here you know?" He looked in the direction of her voice seeing that her head was now visible, the blanket pulled up to her chin.

"I can still get a second room, it's not an issue really."

"No, not that. I mean here in SAO."

"None of us should be here Jemza. You're not alone in that." She laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not talking about being trapped here. I mean I should never have had the ability to get trapped here in the first place." Jayce turned over so he could face her better now interested in what she was talking about.

"How so?" She shifted as well keeping the blanket tight against her body until she was facing him on her side.

"I stole the Nerve Gear. I didn't pay for it or anything. I read about SAO and the beta testing it underwent and knew that no matter what I had to try it. Whatever it took even if I only got to see Aincrad for a few minutes I wanted to be here. So, on the release date I took one and I ran. I went to the furthest internet café I could find and plugged in. I figured I might get a few hours in until they found me and tore the headset off." Jayce stared back into her eyes as she spoke. Why would anyone go to such lengths just for a video game?

"Clearly they didn't. Any forceful removal of the Nerve Gear would trigger the microwave signal. However long it took them to find you was long enough that the world must have found out about everyone being trapped inside. They didn't have a choice but to leave it on you and most likely transport you to a hospital." She nodded and let out a small laugh.

"I guess that's karma for you. First time I ever committed a crime and it lands me in a life or death prison. I don't regret it though, not for a moment." Her facial expressions betrayed what she was saying. She may not have regretted her decisions, but she was ashamed of it.

"Someday this will all be over and when it is, I'm sure they'll consider being trapped here punishment enough." There was still a big part of the story she wasn't telling, but he had no business asking. Ever since he had met her she had almost seemed happy to be here. She was willing to steal just to be here.

"Yeah, you're right. Today was the first time I questioned being here. I like being here in Aincrad. I feel free here, and that I can be whoever I want to be. After today, and what you said with Argo, I was terrified. I've been scared before, but not like this." Jayce sat up making sure he could see her face clearly before speaking.

"Jemza, I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise." They stayed that way for a long while until he felt like he had been staring at her for too long and laid back down. He heard her move a bit on the bed and assumed she was getting comfortable to fall asleep.

"Because…you don't want to lose me?" She was quieter now, but he heard her question. Of course he didn't want to lose her. She was the first and only friend he had here in SAO. Argo hardly counted as a "friend" and these past days together with Jemza had finally made him feel alive. Was that the only reason he didn't want to see her die? Or, was there something deeper?

"No." He said, deciding that for now it was the best answer he could give. She was scared and it didn't matter why he wanted to keep her safe. All that mattered was that he kept doing whatever possible to make her feel secure.

"Jayce?" Her volume hadn't increased, but her tone indicated that she was nervous.

"Yeah?"

"I want to know. When you held onto my hand on the side of the mountain. Who did you lose that would make you go so far for someone like me?"

His heartbeat increased rapidly and the room almost seemed to darken in reaction to her question. His breathing came out in ragged gasps and he had to put a hand on his chest to try and calm the anxiety building. He looked at the white haired girl who was now sitting up in the bed staring back at him. The blanket had fallen to her waist and she wore a thin white t-shirt. He silently pleaded for her to take back the question, but he knew there was no escaping once her eyes locked onto his.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

February was always one of the coldest months and tended to be the month with the most accumulation of snow. It wasn't uncommon to see temperatures dip down into the negative twenties or thirties with wind chill. That was just part of living in the far northern suburbs of Chicago. A common joke was that if temperatures reached into the forties or fifties then it would be prime beach weather.

"What time does it start again?" She asked swiping her finger along the surface of her phone to scroll through various screens. Long brown hair with a slight curl covered her head as she glanced up at the road from the passenger side seat.

"Seven thirty I think. Just pull it up on the website." The young man driving the vehicle answered her while turning a knob on the steering wheel to lower the speed of the windshield wipers. Snow had been falling rapidly for the past few hours, but finally had started to relent making it much easier to drive.

"We're going to be late." The woman chided making the driver roll his eyes.

"You want to drive?" His response made her laugh and shake her head.

"I want popcorn!" The sound of an excited high pitched voice called out from the rear seats where a small little blonde haired girl bounced up and down in her car seat.

"When we get there alright? If we get there in time that is." She added the jab at the end for no reason except to irritate the man driving.

"I'm going to make you walk home mom."

"You would make your poor mother walk home in the snow?"

"Make her walk! Make her walk!" The little girl began a chant from the back making the two up front laugh.

"My own daughter turns on me as quickly as my son. A sad day this is." She tapped on the screen of her phone turning it towards the driver seat.

"What's it say? Seven thirty?" He could only steal a quick glance at the phone since he was paying attention to the road so his mother pulled it back and nodded.

"Seven thirty it is."

"Yay! Popcorn!" Tiny arms flew up into the air as his little sister cheered loudly. Her voices pitch rose into a yelp as the car lurched suddenly to one side. The phone in his mother's hand flew from her grasp as she grabbed for the handle above the door.

"Hang on!" The young man yelled cranking the wheel into the slide trying to correct the vehicle that had hit a patch of black ice.

"Oh god!" His mother cried out as the car broke through the guardrail and plummeted over the edge of the bridge. Their stomachs turned from the freefall, the car rotating nose down so they could see the frozen lake rushing up to meet them.

Immense pain mixed with a tingling sensation all over his entire body finally brought him back to his senses. Water was pouring in through various gaps and cracks in the windshield of the car. He was covered in a large amount of white powder from the airbag that had deployed. The internal lights flickered a few times and his hearing began to come back as he heard the sound of his sister crying in the back.

"Mom…" It hurt to speak as he reached down unbuckling his seat belt. Water was nearly up to his knees now and he turned towards the passenger seat. His mother was hunched over blood streaming down her face from where it had impacted into the console. The airbag had failed to deploy and with shaking hands he reached over to push her back into the seat. The cries from his sister grew louder and he was now very much aware of the freezing water sapping the strength from his body.

"Help me! Help!" The cries of his sister echoed in the car as it continued to sink further into the frozen lake.

"Come on mom wake up!" He shouted to try and wake her, but her eyes never opened no matter how much he shook her. It was only when the sound of cracking began that his attention shifted to the windshield. Like a growing spider web, lines raced along the surface from the growing pressure of the water.

"No!" He tried to turn towards the space between the two seats that would allow him to reach the back, but the windshield gave way before he could, sending ice cold water flowing into the car. The sharp sting of the water stabbed into his body numbing him completely and making it impossible to draw breath normally. With a quick gasp he took in as much air as he could before the car filled and pushed in between the seats.

The lights continued to flicker allowing minimal light to see underwater. Coupled with the natural blurriness that came from trying to see underwater and he was hard pressed to find what he was looking for. At last he found the button that held the main latch in place of his sister's car seat and pressed it. Two metal clips came free leaving a final clip that went across her chest needing to be released. Her arms and legs flailed wildly in the water as he ran his hands up the straps until he found where they met in the center.

It was a simple plastic mechanism where one side slid into the other until it locked. He pulled himself closer trying to see better and saw that the inner piece was bent in a way that was making it impossible to release. His heart raced as he heard her screams underwater making him pull on the straps as hard as he could. His own lungs were burning from holding his breath and the water was making his hands unable to open and close properly.

That was when he noticed the silence. Katie was her name. Three years old just last October. He was close enough to see her lifeless eyes staring into his own as her arms floated ahead of her in the water. She was too little to know how to hold her breath very well. Her lungs too small to hold enough oxygen to give him the time he needed to free her. As if mocking him further, the clip opened in his hand freeing her from the car seat.

He pushed backwards clutching the girl in his arms until he swam out the front of the broken windshield. There was nothing he could do for his mother still trapped inside, but if he could get Katie out maybe there was still a chance. His limbs pushed against the water frantically fighting not only against the cold, but the explosion of pain in his lungs. He would be forced to take a breath within seconds and then it would be over. It was too dark to see anything and he prayed that the surface was near and that they would come up where the ice had broken.

His mouth opened gasping for air as he broke the surface near the edge of the ice. He flung his sister over onto the surface before pulling himself up and out of the water. His body shook violently from the cold and he quickly slid next to the girl. Her face was blue and he began performing CPR to try and revive her. He could hear voices high above on the bridge, but ignored them as he continued to press down gently on the little girl's chest. He leaned down covering her mouth with his own breathing oxygen into her lungs.

All he could hear was her voice crying out for help as tears began to fall from his face. He continued pushing her chest, trying to jump her heart. Each breath into her lungs he hoped to see her eyes flutter. Three years old was too young, but as he found out that night. Death does not discriminate.

"I…I couldn't save her. I couldn't save anyone." Jayce was shaking while clutching the blanket. Jemza hopped from the bed and ran over to him not caring that she was in a thin shirt and shorts. None of that mattered to either of them right now. She fell on him wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She could feel her own eyes watering now. This was what he had been holding in. What had been haunting him and why seeing that little girl NPC had affected him so much. It was why he refused to let her hand go regardless the risk it had on himself.

"I killed them…" She shook her head against him denying his words even as he was saying them.

"It's not your fault Jayce. None of it." There was no hiding anything now. She could tell from the way he shook and the sound of his cries that this was years of pent up regret. More than regret, it was a guilt that was immeasurable. Was she wrong for asking him to open up like he had? Had she gone too far?

"I can't save anyone." His voice cracked as she pressed his head against her chest leaning her cheek on the top of his head. No, he needed to face his demons. Just like she would need to, and if he was strong enough to do it beside her then maybe she could be strong enough to do the same. Once he healed from his past, she would make that leap, but for now he needed her.

"You saved me. Twice actually. You didn't have to, but you did. None of it is your fault." She ran her fingers through his hair while he continued to sob, gripping the back of her shirt tightly. Being beside him like this made her realize something that she could not deny. Argo hinted that he would do anything to make sure he never lost someone he loved again. Now, she swore that she would do the same.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 **December 6** **th** **, 2022**

The smell was familiar, but still out of reach of his memory. It reminded him of his grandparents' farm where he lived for a few years after his mother divorced. It was some sort of flower, but he was never good at recognizing them by scent alone. Was it lilacs? Or maybe tulips? His grandma liked to garden and planted mostly vegetables, but near the house there was a small patch of various flowers she also kept. Numerous multicolored plants each with a distinct look and scent.

Jayce opened his eyes slowly, blinking a few times to help ensure he was awake. He was still on the couch in the room of the inn Jemza and he had rented last night. A lot of last night was a blur, but he remembered enough to know he had told her about his mother and sister. She was the first person in years he had told the whole story to. Argo received a much shorter version the day the portal opened.

He shifted slightly and found it difficult to move. Also, why was there a large amount of something white piled up under his chin? Wait…not something, but hair. White hair in large quantity with something very solid underneath in the shape of a head. Jayce swallowed hard moving his neck back so he could look down. Jemza was curled up against him, her head resting against his chest.

"What did I do?" He whispered his thoughts out loud beginning to panic. A blanket was covering them both, but he could see that they were both dressed. Why was she sleeping next to him? Furthermore, why was her arm draped over him and was that her leg resting on top of his own. He moved his arm down towards his legs until his fingers brushed against bare skin. He found what had to be her knee before pulling his hand back rapidly.

Survival instincts began to kick in now. If she woke up now he did not doubt that she would kill him. Even in the Safe Zone of Urbus, Jemza would find a way to kill him. He didn't even know how she wound up like this, but he would be blamed. He had to get out of this situation and fast. Maybe he could push himself up and over the back of the couch. The fall would most likely wake her up, but he could just say he tripped walking past her. That would work right? He turned his head back forward finding a pair of silver eyes staring back at him.

"Wh…whoa!" Jemza's arms swung wildly as she rolled backwards off the couch landing on the floor with a loud bump.

"Are you alrigh...wow." First instinct was to make sure she wasn't hurt. His first mistake since there was no pain or injury from small falls off a couch in SAO. Second instinct was to stare dumbly at her now that he could see her in a small t-shirt and shorts. Her legs all the way up to her thighs as well as her arms and part of her midsection were exposed. Thus, Jayce committed his second mistake of the morning.

"What are you looking at?!" The girl yelled curling her fingers into a fist and sending it into his face. While damage was negated in the Safe Zone the impact of the blows was not and he reeled backwards into the couch from the strength of her fist. The blanket was yanked from his body as she quickly wrapped it around her body to cover herself.

"Oh…good morning Jemza." How could so much rage exist in such a frame? The blanket was around her, but the stupid grin on his face was telling enough that his memory was functioning and focused solely on what he had seen.

"Round two Alchemist!" A second fist found his jaw sending him backwards again. He didn't mind at all. For once he felt like he could die happy.

"Come on! It wasn't my fault you know that!" A white ponytail of hair bobbed up and down ahead of him as they descended the stairs of the inn.

"Get a good feel of my leg?" What a sharp pain that lanced through his chest upon hearing those words come from her mouth. So she had been awake at that time, but it wasn't like he was doing it with ulterior motives.

"It wasn't like that! I woke up and felt something on me and reached down to see what it was. I took my hand away the second I knew it was your leg." His argument wasn't a lie. He didn't touch her body any more than was necessary to identify what it was.

"I accidentally fell asleep beside you after you passed out. It wasn't on purpose so this is your fault." It almost seemed like she was purposefully ignoring his explanation and trying to create something new to be angry at him for.

"I fell asleep before you. If I knew you were there I would have woke you up and moved you." Again, this wasn't a lie. If he knew she fell asleep on the couch beside him he would have woken her up just out of pure terror.

"Doesn't matter you betrayed my trust Alchemist. I'm disappointed in you." He looked down at the stairs sadly feeling very ashamed. It took a large amount of willpower for Jemza to hold in her laughter, but couldn't help but smile widely ahead of him so he couldn't see.

"Nyahaha! Good morning!" Her smile vanished quickly, replaced by fear as the high pitched nasally voice reached her ears. She heard Jayce groan loudly behind her in response as well. Just as they reached the bottom stair they saw the table with a chair leaning back on its rear legs. Seated in it with her legs on the table was Argo the Rat smiling mischievously.

"Ar…Argo! Why are you here?" Jemza was clearly panicked. Argo didn't respond, but just kept smiling at her which of course was answer enough.

"I had some time before I went back to work on my guide so I…hey!" Jayce kicked the legs of her chair as they walked by sending her backwards. The brown cloak rolled with her as she tucked tightly into a ball flipping back up onto her feet in one smooth motion. There was no flailing of limbs or any sort of panic from Argo when he did it. He thought Jemza was nimble, but Argo was on a different level.

"She sticks the landing!" Argo raised her arms over her head triumphantly with a laugh. This was one time Jayce did not need her services so he kept walking intending to ignore her. Jemza stopped as the girl grabbed her wrist.

"Eh? What is it?" Jayce looked over his shoulder at the two girls. Argo shooed him away with a hand.

"Girl talk for a little bit, go be useful somewhere." Jayce's lip twitched at her rude manners, but he turned away in a huff stomping out of the inn.

"Nothing happened Argo so don't you go providing information about things that didn't happen." Jemza took a seat across from the whiskered girl making sure her tone was serious. She didn't fully understand the scope of Argo's profession, but at the very least she did not want any rumors spreading. Thankfully, Argo waved a hand dismissively.

"Yeah yeah I know. I don't care about that. I was waiting for you because I was curious how last night went. You looked quite a bit concerned about that player who might have attempted an MPK on you." It was strange hearing Argo sound like she was concerned. Jemza figured that Argo didn't care much about anyone aside from the information they may or may not provide. At least for right now, she looked and sounded very much interested in Jemza's wellbeing.

"I was alright for the most part until we got here. Then I started thinking about being alone in a room. I know the System prevents anything from happening in town, but just the thought really scared me." Argo nodded, her hood swaying slightly as Jemza explained.

"Indeed, I would not want to be alone either. I assume your partner took care of you?" Normally a question like this from Argo would end with a mischievous smile. Or she would be looking to gain information, but her tone and expression looked like she was simply having a conversation with a friend.

"He did." Jemza tried not to smile as she said it, but it wasn't possible. Her lips curled upward on their own.

"Good, at least he's not a complete idiot then. You both make a good team. I believe you both will go far and do some pretty great things together. Maybe not quite as flashy or extravagant as Kii-boy and A-chan, but still great in your own ways." Jemza chuckled shaking her head.

"Who?" Argo put both her hands up laughing as well.

"Just a couple friends of mine. So, do you feel comfortable going back out into the wild? Jayce is going to want to track that player down I don't doubt it." Jemza thought about it for a bit and there was a definite hesitation in her mind about wanting to go back out there. Not when she didn't know who was watching and waiting.

"I'm still a bit nervous about it. I can't deny that, but I also don't want to sit here hiding in the dark. That's just not the type of person I am." Now, Argo was smiling mischievously. That could only mean one thing. A business proposition was about to be offered.

"How about if you could gain col and experience here in town without ever leaving Urbus?" Her question piqued Jemza's curiosity greatly. Argo wouldn't have brought it up if it wasn't a real possibility. The real question was how much it would cost.

"Sounds shady to me. Are you about to propose we pickpocket from other players?" Jemza asked the question with a laugh, but Argo kept grinning making Jemza's laughter die out.

"Not too far from the truth Miss White. There's a quest line that I believe would fit right into both of your areas of specialty. There are specific triggers that are hard to figure out to activate the quest, but it would be worth your time. Otherwise you could always join the front line to tackle the next floor boss." Argo snickered at the end of her sentence. Jemza took no offense to that slight jab. Neither her nor Jayce had any intention of fighting with the brave group of people who took down the first floor boss. She found enjoyment in this world, and made some mistakes that almost cost her life, but she wasn't stupid.

"Alright I'm listening." She had to relent to the Rat on this. Her info was always worth the price and a quest line that would allow her and Jayce to work in town and still level up would buy them time to avoid that player from yesterday.

"It'll cost you a thousand col for this one, which of course is after a hefty discount for you."

"Yeah I bet." Jemza opened her inventory and tossed a bag of col across the table. Jayce had paid for a lot lately which meant she had more than him and in a way she hoped this might help repay his kindness.

"Don't worry Miss White, this series of quests is catered towards someone of your…assets." Argo's lips twitched with laughter as she leered at Jemza.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"Enjoy your girl talk?" He tried to hide the sarcasm in his voice, but considering this was Argo he was thinking about it was still dripping with it.

"She said she'll be busy for a while so you'll need to find someone else to cry to when you need help." Jemza's retort was quick like her dagger and stabbed just as hard.

"I didn't cry to her. She embellishes the truth and twists it to suit her needs. You know this." By this point Jayce was arguing defensively which meant of course that he lost. Women were by far the most dangerous thing in this game, he was beginning to think.

"Shouldn't be much further. Wonder what she meant by my assets?" Jemza asked the last question quietly under her breath. She looked down at her body on instinct and shook her head. Argo refused to explain what she meant, but there's no way she would have sent Jemza on some strange quest that used her body right?

The two had walked west along the main road until Jemza guided them down a twisting alley. Side streets and alleyways weren't uncommon, but this one was unique. It turned and dipped in places that did not feel natural to a city. It wasn't long before Jayce rested his hand on the pommel of his sword as they walked. Within the city confines the System protected them, but the dank alley made him nervous. Whatever info Jemza had bought from Argo was beginning to feel dangerous.

"What the…" Jemza's voice trailed off as they rounded a corner and faced a large brick wall. Various buildings with doorways had trailed down either side of the alley as they walked, but this dead end was clearly not something the white haired girl had been anticipating.

"I'd ask if we took a wrong turn, but there really wasn't any turns to take aside from the main alley." Jayce turned looking back the way they came. Jemza ran her hands along the wall and sighed loudly.

"Exactly, this has to be it. Just doesn't make sense." She was upset that much was obvious. He doubted that Argo's information was wrong and she was most likely thinking the same thing. What was frustrating her now was the fact that she had missed something along the way.

"Ok, what did she tell you exactly. We can figure this out." Jayce walked next to her and placed his hand on the wall getting her attention.

"Not much. She just said to find this alley and follow it until it ends. An NPC would provide us with the quest. Actually…she did mention that specific triggers needed to be met before we could accept it." Jemza tapped her chin thinking back on her conversation with Argo. Jayce opened his inventory and removed the gloves from his hands before placing one back on the wall.

"I think you led us to the right spot. This dead end is way too…oddly placed I guess I'd call it. Why would there be a dead end like this at the end of such a long alleyway?" The question he asked was mostly rhetorical, but Jemza mimicked his motion removing her gloves before touching the wall.

"Because it's not a dead end." There was no upward inflection at the end meaning she wasn't asking, she knew.

"Yeah, I think that's the trick. The question now is how do we proceed?" The girl beside him opened her eyes wide like she had remembered something important. She tapped the air in front of her near where her skills were listed. Jayce couldn't see any of the interface she saw, but could tell based off how his own looked that she was doing something with her skills.

"Assets…now it all makes sense. Remind me to never underestimate that girl." Jemza crouched down and began running her hand along the ground where the wall met the pavement.

"What are you mumbling about down there?" He couldn't see whatever it was she was looking at let alone understand what she was referring to. He kneeled down beside her, but as far as he could tell the wall and pavement held nothing unique.

"When we both hit level six we got our third skill slot right? You took Hiding I assume since you are able to sneak around with me. I already had Hiding so I took the skill opposite to that." Jayce's eyes lit up understanding now where she was going with this.

"Searching" She nodded in response and as she did her finger slipped under the wall a few inches. With a wide smile she pushed into a shallow depression under the wall creating a loud click.

"You're amazing." Jayce said it in wonder as the brick wall rotated revealing a pathway leading further into the heart of the city. The fear and nervousness from before was replaced with excitement as they two crossed the threshold. The wall spun back into place behind them, but a visible switch to open it once more was attached to one of the buildings beside it.

"It's like a secret passageway." Her voice was as excited sounding as he felt inside.

"What did you mean by assets?" Jayce asked as they navigated the alleyway and his question made her laugh.

"Argo said this would cater to my assets. I thought she was hinting that this quest would rely on me stripping or something." Her laughter died as Jayce looked away hiding within the confined of his hood. She slapped his arm making him bump into the wall of a building beside him.

"Ow!" It didn't hurt, but it was just reflexive to cry out when hit like this. He was thankful that she wasn't angry. She had a playful smile on her face as he glanced over at her.

"Erase whatever image you just had!"

"Yes ma'am." The two laughed following the alley as it began to descend. It turned to the right leading towards a tunnel that carved into the earth below one of the buildings up above. Two torches on either side of the tunnel lit the entranceway. The ominous feeling the pair received as they crossed the archway of the tunnel only made the anticipation more palpable.

The ceiling was about a dozen feet high and wide enough for the pair to walk comfortably side by side. More torches lined the walls keeping the interior lit. Up ahead a simple wooden door was built into the wall at the end of the tunnel. A plaque above the door with an engraving and two final torches on either side were the only other features.

"A bond of blood will light your path." Jayce read the inscription on the plaque aloud as they stopped before the door. Jemza reached out and opened the door revealing a brick wall directly behind it. She shut the door and looked around the room for any clues that might explain how to proceed.

"I'm not picking up anything with my skills so it's a riddle then." Jayce nodded looking up at the plaque once more.

"Everything looks and feels real in SAO, but blood doesn't really exist. If a sword catches you it draws a glowing red line, but otherwise there's no blood." Jemza furrowed her brow as she listened to Jayce. He was right about the lack of blood in the game. With that in mind there had to be something else they could do.

"It has to be the place. This tunnel is below the city and hard to…"

"That's it! Jemza, let me see your hand." Jayce cut her off excitedly holding his hand out. With a moment of reluctance, she stretched her arm out and he took her hand in his holding it palm up. They hadn't equipped their gloves after removing them before and she waited as he ran a finger over her palm gently.

"Are you just trying to fondle my hand or something?"

"Shut up and give me your dagger." His voice was rushed like a kid wanting to open presents on Christmas. Whatever he had figured out was nearing the boiling point in his mind. With her free hand, Jemza reached down and pulled her dagger from its sheath handing over to Jayce.

"Thanks, just trust me alright?" He put the blade against her palm cutting along the skin. She cringed reflexively, her mind waiting for pain, but none came. A glowing red line formed where he had cut a few hit points decreasing from her health bar. He let her hand go and proceeded to cut a similar line into his own hand before holding the dagger back towards her.

"I don't understand." Jayce held a finger up for her to wait.

"We were in Urbus right? A Safe Zone by definition so we can't take damage. So…" He trailed off waiting for her to catch on.

"We're not in the city anymore." She finished his sentence in astonishment making him nod in return.

"Exactly! We can't bleed, but since we are no longer in the city proper we can take damage. The plaque doesn't mean actual blood. It means this." He took her hand in his and guided it up until both of their cut palms pressed against the plaque. A feint glow emanated from around the edge for a second and a loud click echoed from nearby. To their left a door swung open hidden in the wall, a staircase leading down further. A wide smile appeared over her face and she squeezed his hand in hers.

"Now you're amazing come on!" She jogged towards the door still holding his hand, pulling him along behind her. The descended the staircase nearly two at a time until they came to a landing with another door ahead. With a quick glance over her shoulder at her partner, Jemza pushed the door open.

At least a dozen people turned to look at them. It looked like a bar, but darker and more dangerous. Everyone inside were NPC's, but their equipment and demeanor were mostly uniform. Leather armor, swords, daggers, hooded cloaks, and even masks were worn in various combinations of everyone inside. The pair stepped into the tavern scanning the room as the NPC's stared back.

"New friends I see." A steady calming voice called out making their heads turn towards the direction it came from. A tall, slender woman in dark leather armor approached with her hands held out. Her armor and clothes were similar to Jemza's except that she did not wear tights or a shirt underneath the armor. This meant her thighs and much of her torso was left exposed. A curved cutlass was strapped over her shoulder, her bright red hair tied back behind her head into a neat braided ponytail. The most noticeable feature though was the patch covering her left eye, a red rose etched into the surface.

"Us?" Jemza asked dumbly looking between the woman who now came to a stop before them and the other patrons. The woman reached down and took their hands turning them over until the glowing red lines where they had cut their hands were upraised. The woman grinned releasing her grip. She took a step back and looked between the pair resting her hand on her hip. A glowing yellow exclamation mark blinked into view above her head as her smile widened.

"Aye, welcome to the Thieves Guild."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The patrons of the bar sneered and chuckled under their breaths in response to Jayce and Jemza's confused looks. The woman who welcomed them laughed lightly as well stepping forward once more. She wedged herself in between the duo and draped an arm around their shoulders. With an ever so slight amount of pressure she urged them forward further into the bar.

"Cutpurses, thieves, brigands, robbers…you'll find all kinds here my friends. It's nice to see new faces." The redhead said, the yellow exclamation mark still glowing brightly above her head. Jayce couldn't help but feel a bit strange about this whole situation. NPC's typically followed set algorithms and speech paths. However, this woman seemed alive and not just a simple computer program. It reminded him of the woman and little girl they met in Horunka.

"Where exactly is here?" Jemza's voice drew him out of his thoughts and the woman stopped guiding them lifting a hand to her face in disappointment.

"How incredibly rude of me. I was so lost in the excitement of meeting you that I forgot basic pleasantries. This is called the Infiltrator's Den located just a bit underneath the central plaza or Urbus. My name is Rose Vermilion and I guess you could say I run this little hole we call home."

"It looks…friendly." Jemza muttered the words and Rose laughed loudly putting her arms around the pair once more.

"Looks can be deceiving. You have nothing to fear while you are here. A member of the family will always find save haven in the Infiltrator's Den." Rose guided them further into the bar past the tables where other members sat. She led them towards a door near the back of the room.

"The family? You mean the Thieves Guild?" Rose let them go and opened the door which led into a small office of sorts. A Table, chairs, and various bookcases lined the wall within. She motioned for them to enter politely.

"One in the same." Jemza and Jayce looked at each other before crossing into the room. Rose closed the door behind her as she followed and moved around them until she stood behind the table.

"And you want us to be part of the guild?" Jemza looked down at the wooden chair next to her, but remained standing.

"You found your way here didn't you? You made the bond of blood on the seal. Are you saying you are not interested?" Rose's face turned downcast. She seemed saddened greatly at the prospect of the pair not accepting her offer. Again, Jayce kept thinking that this NPC was far more advanced than should have been possible. Over and over he had to keep looking at the cursor above her head confirming she wasn't a player.

"We don't know exactly what it is you do. Or if we would even be of value to you." The redhead looked at Jayce in response to what he said. She came around the table slowly and placed her hands on his breastplate. He swallowed hard staring into her bright green eye, too stunned to move.

"Mmm, I think you would definitely be of use. I see nothing that would make me believe you would not be of value. Then again, it's not like I can see everything you have to offer…yet." Her hands ran around his side where the leather armor laces were. She ran her fingers over them touching his body in between each lace.

"Enough!" If he was stunned before, the anger on Jemza's face froze him solid. The white haired girl now stood directly beside Rose threateningly. Was Jemza jealous? Jayce shook the thought from his head as quickly as it popped in. Jemza never gave off any indication that she held some sort of romantic feelings for him so jealousy couldn't be it. Rose lowered her hands and turned facing Jemza, standing toe to toe with her. After a few seconds the redhead giggled and held her hands up.

"Forgive me, I got carried away. Alas, the good ones are always taken." Jayce waited for Jemza to correct the woman about their relationship, but he was surprised when she made no move to do anything of the sort. Perhaps in her anger she simply missed what Rose had said so logically he should make sure the misunderstanding was corrected before she got angrier.

"We aren't like that." Rose looked back at him and then Jemza with a sly smile. Since Jemza was becoming increasingly irritated for some reason he felt good that he had caught what Rose said and corrected her. Jemza would appreciate that for sure. The ice cold glare he received looking at his partner was far from the expected response. Was she now angry at him for making sure Rose knew they weren't a couple? Now that he thought about it, why did it even matter? This was an NPC. It's not like she had real feelings or thoughts aside from whatever her programming dictated.

"Then there's still hope." The redhead whispered as she walked back towards her desk running a hand over his breastplate once more.

"You don't know when to shut up do you?" Jemza growled taking a seat in the chair after Rose did the same on her side of the desk. Jayce sighed sadly still not sure what had gotten her so worked up and sat in the other chair.

"I'll get right to the point and let you both decide for yourselves. On the western edge of Urbus is a large estate. It is owned by a man named Demeter Wright, an art collector. Mr. Wright has been able to purchase anything he desires with his large surplus of col. What most don't know is how he acquired such money to begin with.

Mr. Wright handles the transportation and acquisition of dark elf prisoners. The forest elves pay him handsomely for his services. In short, he is a slave trader." Rose leaned back in her chair folding her hands on her lap.

"Elves?" Whatever irritation Jemza had seemed to disappear as Rose explained.

"Aye, the forest elves and dark elves have been at war with one another for some time now. Personally, I don't care one way or the other, but slaving? Not in my city." A flash of anger crossed Rose's face.

"I've never seen any elves before." Jayce stated exactly what Jemza and he had been thinking.

"You will. Just be careful when you reach the Forest of Wavering Mists. Stay to the path and you will be safe. For now, however, I would like you to do something for me." Rose placed her hands on the desk looking between the two.

"Which is?"

"Break into his estate. Find documentation of his dealings and bring it to me. I will handle the rest. Take whatever else you want, but the proof of his slave trading is mine." Jemza looked over at Jayce who shared the same look of uncertainty.

"Sounds dangerous. Am I to assume this is what you want us to do if we want to be part of the guild…I mean, the family?" Jayce voiced their concerns out loud and Rose leaned forward on the desk. Her eye not covered by the patch blinked slowly and her mouth curled just slightly in a seductive smile.

"It will be, yes. He hires mercenaries to guard his estate. I can't speak to what other dangers may reside within, but I'm sure you would succeed. I can promise to make it very…very worth your while." Her voice lowered and for the briefest of moments Jayce's willpower failed and his eyes glanced down at her very visible cleavage.

"Alright…" Jemza looked over at him in shock as he dumbly agreed to her request. The exclamation mark over her head disappeared and a chime alerted them that a new quest entry had been added to their journals. Upon hearing his acceptance Rose sat back happily clapping her hands twice.

"I knew I could count on you. Here, take these. It's important no one recognizes you. Bring me those documents and I will be eternally grateful. I look forward to seeing you again." As Rose finished speaking a window appeared in front of each of their eyes showing two items each. The first was a cloth mask to hide their faces. Secondly, a small case with numerous small tools inside was provided. Each one looked delicate and fragile, but had one clear purpose. Lock picks.

They both closed the window accepting the items into their inventory and stood. With a final wave Rose bid them farewell as they returned to the bar section of the Infiltrator's Den. No one seemed to mind their presence this time not even bothering to glance their way. Jayce walked just slightly ahead of his partner heading towards the door they had entered the hideout through. As soon as they both passed through the door and closed it behind them Jayce had to bite down to keep himself from crying out. Jemza grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him so his back was to the wall. She shoved him against it glaring at him from inches away.

"What was that all about huh? You were too scared to leave an inn for almost a month, almost died in the forest of Horunka, and we barely escaped those bulls yesterday! All of a sudden you agree to something this dangerous without even giving it a second thought? You didn't even ask me how I felt about it! Just because she showed a little skin you couldn't think straight? She's not even real!" Jayce took her verbal assault unable to argue against any of it. Rose and the complexities of her programming had thrown him off and made her feel incredibly real. The attention she gave him made it hard to say no to anything she said, but doing so came at the cost of Jemza's feelings.

"Jemza…" He tried to respond, but she shoved him again so he hit the wall silencing him.

"Don't Jemza me! If you think I would just go along with this because we're partners, you're dead wrong. What was with that NPC anyway? Who would program someone to act like that? This is a video game and that's inappropriate." She continued to press against him pressing him harder against the wall of the tunnel.

"It sounded like fun." Her eyebrows rose in confusion after he spoke.

"What?"

"This quest. It sounded like fun. I hadn't allowed myself to enjoy anything in SAO until the other day we went out into the savannah. Before the stampede I was excited to hunt with you. When I told you about what happened with my mom and sister it released a lot of tension in me. It's not something I can get over like flipping a switch, but it helped. I woke up and felt like I had been released from a prison.

I didn't accept the quest because of Rose or how she looked. I accepted it because it's something you and I can do. I know how scared you were last night. This will keep us in the city and we can still progress our characters. Sometimes I say and do things that you don't like. Rose caught me off guard and I didn't know how to react. That sort of attention was not something I'm accustomed to so I'm sorry I handled it poorly.

Also, I swear this morning I didn't touch you or do anything inappropriate to you. I didn't mean to stare at you, but just like with Rose when I saw you I just…nevermind." Jayce quickly stopped after he realized that his explanation was veering towards dangerous territory. The whole morning incident had been on his mind all day though, bothering him.

"You just…what?" Tiny explosions started erupting in Jayce's head. The cause was that the anger on Jemza's face had vanished. Instead she stared at him, her silver eyes crushing any defenses he had. Her face looked like she wanted to hear something specific, but Jayce didn't have the same ability she had to read his mind. Her hands were still against his body where she had pushed him against the wall and he was now very aware of how close she was.

"N…nothing."

"No, when you saw me this morning you just what?" She repeated her question using her eyes to attack him further. This was the most dangerous situation he had ever been in by far. Was she feeling self-conscious because of Rose? If he complimented her now and was wrong it could cause a huge mess.

"I just…thought you looked…pretty." He shut his eyes tightly waiting for her to strike, but after a few moments he dared to peek. She was still where she had been, but her eyes and face looked like she was torn between how she should respond.

"You think I'm pretty?" She was quieter than normal.

"Yeah." It took a minute to force the answer out of his mouth and again as he said it he instantly prepared for the worst. She only seemed more indecisive now that he had answered her. Her face began to turn red and as their eyes met she stepped back quickly and spun around.

"Alright, let's do this quest. I admit the Thieves Guild sounds really cool and I'm interested in it. I also will admit that I think it does sound fun, but from now on we make decisions like this together as a team. I'm sorry I attacked you and pushed you." Jayce stared at the back of her head in confusion. This was something he hadn't felt with her before. It felt like…victory.

"Did you just apologize? I won an argument?" Elation began to fill him as her head spun to look at him over her shoulder. Her long white hair flew through the air behind her head.

"Don't get the wrong idea Alchemist. I apologized because of what happened last night, and because this morning really was my fault. And because you called me…pretty." The last bit of her sentence got so quiet he couldn't hear her, but it was enough.

"Amazing. This feeling of, what is it? Happiness? Such a foreign feeling, I barely remember it." Jemza's eyes rolled sarcastically as Jayce continued to over dramatize the situation. He clutched at his heart as if a sharp pain lanced through him.

"Come on Alchemist we got work to do." Jemza began walking away her arms swinging hard. Apologizing for something like this was not something Jemza did often, that much was clear. As such the only thing Jayce could do was what most men would do. Make it worse.

"Don't worry! I, the victorious Alchemist who has won this day on the battlefield of man versus woman shall accompany you! Do not fear Jemza I shall forgive you for everything because I am a merciful man. My mercy comes at the low cost of a nice steak meal tonight!"

"Argh! You sound like Argo!" He laughed loudly seeing her arms shake angrily, but knowing that her anger was nothing to worry about.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

The estate of Demeter Wright was located on the western edge of Urbus. That was the location Rose had provided to Jayce and Jemza. The two had waited until dusk to locate the estate and see exactly what they had gotten themselves into. Neither one had pieced together that when Rose said western edge, she literally meant the western edge. Urbus was situated in a crater of a high flat topped mountain. The Wright estate was built into the edge of the mountain so that a good portion was impossible to reach without scaling the mountainside.

The rest was surrounded by a large brick wall with metal prongs lining the top. A gateway out front marked the only obvious entrance to the building. Two men in plate armor carrying halberds stood on either side of the gate prohibiting the entrance of people like Jayce and Jemza. The cursors above their heads were red, meaning that they would be a tougher fight than anything else they'd encountered before. Until now they had only hunted creatures with pink cursors. Plus, these were human mobs and most likely possessed actual skills they could use.

Jayce surmised that the estate and guards was usually marked as NPC's until you accepted the Thieves Guild quest. At that point the estate would register as hostile. Anyone else passing by would see the two guards with green cursors and not have to worry about conflict. Not knowing how perceptive the two guards were meant that Jayce and Jemza had to hang back a good distance to scout the estate out.

"Can't climb those can we?" Jemza nodded towards the high walls stretching out from the gate. It curved around the building until it reached the edge of the mountain.

"Don't think so. Too high and the top is like a medieval form of barbed wire. We could get hung up or take damage." The girl beside him silently agreed with his response. She had activated her Searching skill to try and locate anything that would give them an edge, but so far nothing presented itself.

"This is a Thieves Guild quest so we're missing something. Assaulting the front gate is always an option, but that would make no sense for thieves." Jemza's voice was low so they didn't attract the attention of the guards who were across the street.

"Hey, look over there." Jemza followed where he pointed and saw a man walking down the street. He seemed to be moving in a way that would keep him out of sight of the guards, but still able to approach a section of the wall after it turned away from the front section. A similar black mask to the ones Jayce and Jemza now wore tied around their nose and mouth was visible on him as well. They couldn't make out much more because of the brown poncho wrapped tightly around his body.

"Isn't that…" Jemza trailed off as Jayce shifted from his position moving parallel to the guards, but towards the man. She quickly followed behind him stepping as quiet as possible until they were within a few dozen feet of the man. As if sensing their approach his head snapped towards them, a hand flashing into the folds of his poncho. Jayce quickly raised a hand in greeting, the man's hand slid back out slowly and he looked between Jayce and Jemza.

"Sorry, but you were the one who gave me that potion the other day in the marketplace aren't you?" Jayce made sure to speak quietly and a flicker of recognition passed through the man's eyes.

"Ah, you both are the couple from the mixing merchant. You both look like you are here for a similar purpose." Even speaking quietly, the man's voice was crisp and charismatic. Every word was spoken with confidence and without hesitation.

"Mhm, just not sure where to begin though." Jemza responded and for the second time today Jayce glanced at her noticing that she once more didn't make a correction to the word "couple."

"I didn't think anyone else was aware of this questline." Jayce was forced to abandon his thoughts about Jemza and his relationship as the man spoke.

"A friend informed us. Thought it might be something suited to our playstyle." Jayce explained.

"I see. Well, if that's the case we can approach this together. I know the route and now I'm personally interested in seeing your playstyle." For a moment Jayce felt a chill run down his spine, but it was gone just as quickly as he felt it. If this man knew the route, then it only meant one thing. He had done this before…in the beta.

"Are you sure, I don't want to cause you any trouble." A third person would add to their safety, and if his suspicions were correct about this man being a former beta tester then he could guide them safely.

"You both physically look the part. If you have the Hiding skill, then much of this should be simple for you. The rest will rely on your wits." Jayce looked over at Jemza whose eyes were slightly wider than normal. Under the mask she had to be grinning and very much in favor of the help being offered.

"Sure, thanks for having us. Just let us know what you need and we'll do our part." Jayce said holding his hand out. The man reached out and shook his hand before repeating the process with Jemza. Jayce opened the invitation window and sent the request. After the man tapped his acceptance a third health bar appeared in the upper left portion of Jayce's view. Underneath his and Jemza's health bar read his name and a full green bar.

"PoH? Sounds like an acronym." Jemza read his name out loud looking at him questioningly.

"Something like that, come on this way." They followed behind him as he walked along the wall towards the edge of the mountain. The wall turned ninety degrees along the edge of the mountain until it connected to the building itself. PoH peered around the corner before pressing his body against the wall preparing to shimmy along the edge of the mountain and the wall.

"You've gotta be kidding me." Jemza watched the man disappear around the corner without looking back. Jayce put his hand on the small of her back and urged her forward gently.

"Come on we can do this." They both reached the edge feeling the wind brush over their faces fluttering Jayce's cloak slightly. Far below the open savannah stretched out as far as they could see. A very narrow ledge of loose rocks and dirt was the only thing between the wall and open air.

"I liked you better when you were scared all the time and not so confident." Jemza muttered following PoH's example pressing against the wall and side stepping along the narrow path. Jayce followed a few seconds behind her until all three were slowly moving towards the buildings sheer wall.

The main building of the estate looked to be four stories high made of stone and wood. Windows dotted the wall of the building in various locations, but otherwise from their vantage point they couldn't see anything more. A bit ahead of them, PoH reached the point where the wall met the four story building. He reached up where a piece of wooden trim wrapped around the structure. With one swift motion he kicked off and began moving hand over hand while dangling out over open air.

"This was supposed to be fun. When does the fun start?" Jemza growled turning to look at Jayce.

"It's like we're spies. Think of it like an adventure." Watching PoH move so fluidly through this route was already beginning to take its toll on Jayce's nerves. The thought of hanging over the Savannah hundreds of feet in the air was not supposed to be part of the plan.

"Uh huh, if we survive this my fist is going to have an adventure on your face." Jemza's threat only made the nervousness rise. They both reached the building and with a deep breath Jemza followed the same pattern PoH used and she kicked out into the open.

"Nice, hang on." She was too focused on her movements, but he could sense her fury nonetheless.

"Thanks for the tip. Come over here so I can show you my appreciation." Jemza's retort was strained as she worked her hands slowly along the trim. Jayce began his climb across the open expanse a bit behind her. Ahead of them PoH carefully rounded the corner of the estate where it jutted out over the mountainside and vanished from sight. Both Jayce and Jemza had to be quick since they did not have the Climbing skill and after too long their grip would fail.

Jemza slid her hands around the corner of the building and saw PoH ascending up a series of wooden beams spaced just enough to function like a ladder. She silently prayed to whoever would listen that her grip would last long enough. A window clicked open at the top of the beams and PoH slipped inside quickly before popping his head back out and holding a hand towards her. She reached the beams and ascended as quick as her character would allow until she grabbed his hand and felt him pull her up into the window.

Jayce dropped down onto the wooden floor from the window a few moments later. They both took a few breaths to calm down after the treacherous journey they had just endured. Surprisingly, PoH seemed like the trip had been nothing more than a walk down the street. He moved towards a doorway nearby leaning against the wall before glancing through it. His Moonlit Silver Dirk glinted as he pulled it free from the sheath under his poncho.

"The document location is randomized so from here on out we search. The guards are heavily armored and their weapons hit hard. Avoid them if you can, but if not make sure you drop them fast before others notice or we will be overrun. Don't hesitate because of how they look." PoH whispered after returning to where the two waited.

Jayce understood what he meant. These would be the first enemies encountered that resembled real people. Even knowing that they were computer generated opponents didn't change the fact that they looked real. Kills animals, plants, and humanoid creatures was one thing, but another human could be difficult for some. Jayce pulled his Anneal Blade from its scabbard while Jemza also gripped her dagger. He pulled a few vials off his belt and handed them to her. PoH watched curiously as she slipped them into loops on her belt, the black liquid sloshing around the inside slowly.

"Poisons…you two really are suited for this." PoH opened the flap of his poncho to show his ample supply of vials and flasks as well. Jayce nodded with a grin hidden under the mask.

"We're ready." The man chuckled quietly pulling his poncho tight around him once more.

"Good, it's showtime."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

A numerical readout is all a player had to tell them how hidden they were. 100 meant that they were perfectly hidden. However, various circumstances affected the number greatly. Moving would lower it in varying degrees depending on the armor and weight of the equipment worn. Obscuring your position by standing behind objects would increase the gauge. If an observer was actively staring in the direction of where the person was hiding the gauge would lower until you were finally revealed. Searching also increased the chances of countering the Hiding skill. All of these factors ran through Jayce's mind as he glanced down at the meter reading in the high 80's.

All three players inside the Wright estate wore leathers, single handed weapons with no shields, and carried minimal equipment. All three had the Hiding skill, so they were as perfectly equipped for this particular quest as one could be. The gauge wavered with each step as they crept along the top floor of the estate. PoH motioned towards Jemza and then pointed at a closed door. She nodded splitting off from their group to investigate. Ahead of the two men was a carpeted walkway with railings on either side that looked down over the floor below. At the end the walkway it split left and right into a pair of staircases leading to the next floor down. A doorway built into the far wall where the pathway split was the only other thing Jayce saw.

As he did with Jemza, a quick gesture with his hand signaled for Jayce to inspect the doorway and try to locate the documents Rose had requested. PoH looked over the railing to scout the next floor down as Jayce passed behind him towards the doorway. A small hallway led to a closed door, various paintings and tapestries covering the walls. Jayce reached up twisting the knob, but it only turned a fraction of an inch. Reaching down to his belt he pulled lock picks Rose had given them free and placed one of the thin metal probes into the keyhole.

Lock Picking was a skill Jayce hadn't taken. It would allow the ability to open more difficult locks on doors, windows, or even treasure chests. He hoped that the lock picks provided would provide enough skill that he could open the door without actually having the skill. As he placed the picks into the keyhole a small wheel appeared in his vision. The wheel consisted of a white circle and a slightly smaller green circle inside. Rotating one of the picks rotated a circle, while the other pick controlled the second circle. Both needed to be rotated slowly until the perfect position was located indicated by a faint click. Then both picks had to be lifted simultaneously to disengage the lock. The rotation could not change while lifting the picks or the attempt would fail potentially breaking the picks.

With a steady hand Jayce rotated his arms watching the circles spin. He held his breath as a very small click noise came from the door. He shifted both picks upward until the internal mechanism released. He retracted the picks placing them back onto his belt and carefully opened the door. The room inside was of decent size, fitting six beds, various tables and furniture, and on one wall, racks of weapons. The best Jayce could guess was this functioned as the barracks for the hired mercenary guards. Six beds meant potentially six guards, two of which were stationed at the front gate. Three must be patrolled inside the estate because one bed was occupied.

The same red cursor floated above the body fast asleep in one of the beds. Underneath a series of text read Wright Estate Mercenary. Taking a step into the room Jayce instantly saw his Hiding meter dip to the 70's. His movements would need to be slow and methodical to not wake the sleeping guard. Gripping the sword tightly he navigated into the room making sure to avoid bumping into anything as he approached the guard. It wasn't until he stood over the bed that he full understood what PoH had said earlier.

The guardsman was not armored and had no weapon currently. Aside from the cursor and text indicating that he was an enemy, he looked like a real person. As more floors were cleared in the game there was no doubt that human enemies would eventually appear. In a VRMMO like this, seeing the enemy face to face made it feel so much more real. Jayce looked down at the Anneal Blade in his hand and then down at the defenseless guard. As a precaution Jayce took a vial from his belt and opened it dropping the contents onto the blade. It was a low level contact poison that added a small amount of damage.

Every MMO Jayce had played before this he had always enjoyed a certain playstyle. The stealthy rogues and assassins were always the most appealing. Typically, because those classes of characters catered towards what he enjoyed. They allowed you to hide freely while watching enemy movements. This of course included players which he would stalk carefully waiting for the right time. Once a player fell behind or split off Jayce would pounce killing the player and disappearing into the shadows before anyone knew what happened. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences in an MMO.

PVP, or player verse player as it was called was combat between players. An extremely common and popular past time in MMO games. Many games focused heavily on PVP in particular as opposed players fighting against computer generated enemies. PVP required greater reflex and skill as you were facing another human controlling their character. Whoever prepared better, had the best equipment, and remained calm would come out on top. It was thanks to the years of playing games with PVP that Jayce could now look down at the guard and fall back into his old self.

Black liquid dripped off the sword as the blade rose high before plunging down into the guard's chest. He didn't activate a sword skill too afraid of the noise it might make so he put as much strength behind it as he could. The blade buried itself through the man's body and through the bed underneath. His eyes flashed open in surprise, his mouth opening wide, but before any sound could escape he shattered into fragments of light. Jayce pulled his blade free of the bed and breathed deeply.

An opening strike from hiding with poison had been enough to kill the guard. An unarmored guard to be more precise, but it meant that there was one less enemy to worry about. For a brief moment Jayce wondered if he should feel guilt or remorse for killing an unarmored enemy. It had almost felt like second nature to assassinate him so cleanly and for players not accustomed to human enemies it could severely affect their mental state. It hadn't affected Jayce at all. What did that mean? Shouldn't he have hesitated because of how real the guard looked?

Jayce shook his head glancing around the room looking for anything that might fit the description of what Rose was looking for. Now wasn't the time to worry about mental concerns. They were still in enemy territory with more guards around somewhere. After quick check of the room he moved back through the hallway until he exited the doorway finding PoH still standing guard at the top of the stairs. He looked down at Jayce's sword and then back up at Jayce who held his index finger up and then drew it across his throat. The man in the poncho nodded and began to proceed down the stairs.

Jayce looked down the walkway where Jemza had gone hoping she was doing alright before following the man down the stairs. The staircase spun lazily around towards another walkway. The two took each step slowly so as not to cause any sound until the came towards the bottom of the staircase. Ahead of them another staircase led down to what had to be the second floor. Just cresting the top of that staircase was a guard in chainmail armor, an axe on his hip. PoH and Jayce froze as the guard stared at them. The Hiding meter instantly dropped to 0 indicating they had been spotted.

The man fell to his stomach at the top of the stairs under the weight of a dark object. Only a quiet groan escaped his mouth as Jemza slid her dagger free from the back of his neck. He broke apart below her body allowing her to regain her footing. Jayce looked up at the railed walkway above where she must have leapt. He breathed a sigh of relief that they had still managed to remain undetected. PoH held his hand out with a thumb extended before beginning his movements along the third floor walkway.

Jemza fell in behind PoH leaving Jayce in the back. He eyed them curiously as they both snuck past a small table on the walkway. It was strange because PoH then Jemza shifted their bodies sideways, but then righted themselves. As he followed them he couldn't piece it together until he made it to the same area and Jemza spun around quickly. Her eyes widened as a small plate depressed under Jayce's foot.

Suspended from the floor above a loud click sounded out. A long block of wood anchored to the ceiling by two chains swung free. A metal plate on the front of the wood added further weight as it hurtled down like a battering ram. Jemza reached her hand out desperately as the ram connected with Jayce's chest launching him through the table and bannister. He couldn't even hear Jemza's scream as the sound of wood breaking surrounded him and then the feeling of weightlessness set in. All he could see was his health gauge depleting as he plummeted towards the floor below.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

She realized the mistake just as it happened. If only she had been quicker then Jayce wouldn't have stepped on the pressure plate. PoH clearly had the same skills as she did. One in particular provided a faint outline of the plate on the ground. A skill that she had, but Jayce didn't. Searching.

Without that skill he could not have seen what exactly they had stepped around to avoid. She should have turned around and let him know of the danger, but by the time realized everything it was too late. The human sized battering ram swung down making a sickening thud as it impacted into his chest. The table and railing of the bannister behind him splintered apart sending his body toppling over the edge. She screamed in desperation as if her voice would stop his fall, but he disappeared from view.

PoH spun on his heel following Jemza as she ran to the broken section of railing terrified to look down. She waited to hear the pinging sound that meant a player died followed by the sound of his avatar shattering. She dropped to her knees on the edge of the walkway and looked down at the floor below. Jayce's body was sprawled on the floor twisted awkwardly from how he landed. His health bar was flashing red, but was stable. A few icons next to his name told her just how serious his condition was.

Aside from taking damage, a player could incur various status effects that would impact their senses. The most dangerous being Stunned. A Stunned character could do nothing except minor movements. They were essentially defenseless while the status lasted. Usually it was a short duration, but long enough that an enemy could finish the player off with ease. With this in mind Jemza began to panic recognizing that status blinking next to his health bar.

Her head snapped to the side hearing the sound of armored footsteps approaching quickly. The rest of the guards inside the estate would have heard the trap and the wood shattering. From what she could hear it sounded like two sets of feet running towards Jayce's location from below. He wasn't moving and although pain did not exist, physical trauma like a fall from a decent height could still knock someone out. Without wasting another moment, she leaned forward only to feel a strong hand wrap around her arm.

"Don't be foolish." PoH's voice was still calm and measured despite what had happened. She tore her arm free glaring back at the man.

"Don't stop me. Do whatever you want, but I won't leave him."

"There's no telling how many will arrive. Your actions could mean the death of you both." Jemza continued to stare into PoH's eyes a slight smile appearing under her mask.

"Then at least we'll die together." She leapt backwards off the ledge and rotated so she could land while taking as little damage as possible. As her feet hit the wooden floor below she through her body forward into a roll to absorb more of the impact. With her agility the health gauge barely moved as she stood to her full height and turned sprinting towards Jayce's body.

"Over there!" Two mercenaries in chain armor carrying large two handed swords appeared from an open doorway pointing at Jemza as she knelt down shaking Jayce's body.

"Come on Jayce wake up!" The Stunned status near his name blinked rapidly meaning it was wearing off, but he still hadn't regained consciousness. The two guards charged forward across the floor raising their swords high above their heads.

Jemza dove forward closing the distance between herself and the guards to keep them away from Jayce. She tucked low rolling along the floor as their swords cleaved the air above her body. Her feet hit the ground and she slid along the wooden floor using her offhand to help right her orientation. The Moonlit Silver Dirk in her mainhand stayed true to its name as it glinted in the light of the moon shining through the windows of this floor.

"Thieves! Stop them!" The two men attacked in unison with their greatswords forcing Jemza back. The size of the weapons meant parrying was too dangerous so she had to rely on her own dexterity to avoid the blows altogether. Her body twisted and turned, rolling through the air to avoid another horizontal chop aimed at her waist. The moment her feet hit the ground she had to bend backwards watching as the second sword passed by her eyes only a few inches away.

Like a shadow detaching from above PoH dropped behind one of the guards from above thrusting his dagger into his back. Jemza couldn't help but stop for a fraction of a second to admire the man's skill. It was performed so quickly and fluidly that she couldn't help but feel vastly inferior to him. Even the way he retracted the blade was a smooth transition into his preparations to activate a sword skill. Lights erupted around the hilt of the dagger as the system took over guiding his dagger into a series of rapid biting jabs piercing the man repeatedly. There was a cold, calculated method in the way PoH fought. He wasted no energy or effort unless absolutely necessary and he attacked with a surgeon's precision.

Jemza sidestepped another strike from the mercenary still attacking her while the second turned to engage PoH. The greatsword raced forward in a thrust allowing Jemza to drive her dagger into the man's wrist for a quick bit of damage. The long blade pulled back and she stepped forward ducking low and driving the dagger up under the man's arm. Her arm reversed making the man stumble back from the attack. Blue graphical sparks erupted from the dagger as she spun in a complete circle, the dagger slashing across the man's throat.

Both men toppled over, shattering into fragments at the same time. She replaced the dagger into the sheath and quickly moved back to where Jayce was beginning to stir. She pulled a healing potion free and held it to his mouth. After downing the red liquid inside he nodded and his health bar began to fill slowly. She looked back at PoH holding her thumb up.

"He doesn't have Searching does he?" The man in the poncho approached and knelt down beside them.

"No, and I knew that. I should have remembered." Jemza said guiltily. Jayce put his hand on her shoulder shaking his head.

"It's alright. I noticed that you both moved strange and didn't say anything."

"You're lucky then. If she hadn't jumped down here the guards would have finished you off." PoH said looking around to make sure no one else was approaching.

"Thank you, if you hadn't jumped in..." Jemza said motioning towards the man in the poncho.

"If you are going to continue this quest line, take Searching soon. It's one of the most helpful skills you can take. Not just for traps, but also finding the quest items." PoH ignored her compliment directing the conversation elsewhere.

"Right, about that. You mean this?" Jayce held up a folder in his hand, numerous pieces of paper inside. A brief glance at the contents and PoH stared at Jayce incredulously.

"How?" Jayce held back his laughter rubbing the back of his head before answering the man.

"The table that trap knocked me into up there. It must have had a drawer and it was inside. We almost walked right past it." Even Jemza stared at him in disbelief as he explained it. Under the mask he wore, PoH chuckled quietly shaking his head.

"You both are very interesting. Come on there's a way out this way. We can hop the wall from inside without having to climb back around." He led them down to the first floor to a room full of various artwork. Sculptures, paintings, and glass cases filled the room. Jayce noticed that he no longer seemed concerned with guards and he knew the location of this room. It only added to his suspicion that PoH had to be a former beta tester.

On one side of the room was three windows, one of which PoH unlatched and lifted. It allowed them access to the courtyard between the front gate and the estate. The two guards continued to stand watching the perimeter as they snuck out the window. A large stack of boxes nearby provided a way for them to reach the top of the fence and jump over safely avoiding the spikes on top. Within ten minutes all three were a decent distance away from the estate.

"There's just the one folder, how does this work?" Jayce asked holding the documents in his hand.

"The quest will have already updated now that we are clear. Turning it in is just a formality at this point." PoH glanced back at the estate while explaining.

"Thank you for everything." Jemza bowed.

"Just watch yourselves from here on out. These quests get a lot more dangerous so make sure you are prepared. If one of you is lacking a skill the other has then you need to compensate for each other." Both Jayce and Jemza nodded in response.

"Right, we will." Jayce held his hand out and shook PoH's. Jemza did the same and the man raised a hand giving a quick wave.

"Then good luck. If you keep it up and survive I believe we'll meet again. We can make it more interesting next time." They both watched as he walked away until he disappeared around the corner of the street.

"I don't know how high, but he's much higher level than us." Jemza looked over at Jayce raising her eyebrows.

"How do you know?" She wasn't sure how he had deduced that, but he had to have noticed something.

"He can use Daggers, Hiding, Searching, and Mixing. He has at least four skills which makes him at the very least, level 12." Jayce explained and his partner nodded. He was right, with four active skills PoH was higher level than either of them.

"I'm glad he was with us. I don't know if we could have pulled that off alone." Jayce turned towards her as she spoke so he could face her.

"Jemza…" He reached down and took one of her hands in his. Instantly her heart began to beat faster. His other hand reached up towards her face and pulled the mask down. After letting the cloth go he pulled his own mask down and leaned closer towards her. Her mind began to go fuzzy and blank. Why was he being so bold right now? It was all happening so fast and yet she couldn't stop her own eyes from closing nor her head from tilting towards his.

"It was another close call, but seriously, that was fun. I know it might be dangerous, but I want to do these quests. Please do them with me. Hey, why are your eyes closed?" She opened her eyes realizing that she had bent her body towards him and tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Wha…what was that?! Why are you holding my hand?! You pulled my mask off and everything!" Jemza yanked her hand back and stood straight staring at him with eyes wide. Jayce looked equally surprised taking a step back.

"You said from now on to make sure I discuss things with you. This whole Thieves Guild thing is really exciting and fun. Even after that trap I didn't regret it or get too scared. I knew you'd have my back. I know that we can do this together. I was just trying to be sincere and these masks make it hard to see facial expressions." He was trying to explain and logically it all made senses. Logic was not something Jemza was in the mood for right now.

"You tricked me! Idiot!" She stormed away leaving him staring in utter confusion.

"Hey! Jemza wait!" He called out to her, but she kept walking angrily.

"Dinner! Now!" She answered from ahead and he knew that whatever he had done wrong now would cost him a lot more col than he wanted to spend.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

" _Why? Why am I always like this lately?"_

"I'm really sorry for whatever I did Jemza. I guess I got too excited, but really I was just trying to do what you asked of me." Jayce stared at the ground as the two walked through the streets of Urbus.

"Good…"

" _Stop. Why am I saying these things?"_

"You should be sorry."

" _I need to shut my mouth."_

"It's because I touched you isn't it? I was out of line. I swear it won't happen again." The shame in his voice was more than she had heard before. No, not shame…heartbreak. To make things worse, rain had begun to pour down soaking them both. It seemed fitting for the current mood.

"Whatever."

" _Maybe it's better like this. Keeping a bit of distance would be best for now. If he knew…everything would fall apart. I'll just apologize later and things will be back to normal. It's just…why does it hurt?"_

"So, would you prefer not to do the Thieves Guild quest line? We can always just stay in town for awhile until you feel more comfortable leaving. Would give me some time to try and learn something about that player who confronted us the other day. We can do whatever you want to do." His heart really was set on doing those quests. The dejection was obvious, but he was trying to put on a stronger front for her sake. Like usual he was sacrificing his desires to make her happy.

"I don't really care what you do."

" _I didn't mean to say that. At this rate I might push too hard and push him away. That's not what I want. This mouth…please stop talking or else I'll end up…"_

"Should I leave?"

" _Alone."_ Jemza kept facing forward fighting the urge to turn towards him. His question tore at her heart, but her mind continued to battle against what her heart felt.

"If…if that's what you want then fine." Of course it was impossible, but nonetheless she felt like she could hear the last piece of his resolve shatter. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his hands shaking. He was scared.

" _This is what's best right? We were getting too close. Even though he opened up to me and I thought I could do the same it's not that simple. He's suffered enough; I would only cause him more pain. This wasn't supposed to happen. I just didn't want to be alone anymore."_

"Alright." It was barely a whisper, but she heard him and he stopped walking beside her looking around slowly. After looking down one of the side streets he stared at the back of Jemza's head who now stood still in the middle of the street. He hesitated for a moment, but then turned and began walking away.

" _Don't leave me! Why can't I say it? No one would care if I died today. There's no one waiting for me. I don't deserve someone like him. I'm too broken and he shouldn't have to deal with a girl like me. A girl too selfish for her own good."_

"I would care." Jemza reached up gripping her breastplate over her heart remembering the words he said to her. Her breath became more ragged with each passing moment.

"That man knows the pain of losing someone he loves more than many others. Perhaps more than anyone else in this game, so here's something on the house because we're good friends. He's prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again." Argo had told her that which began this whole thing. Since then she always felt at war with herself, snapping at him more frequently for things that seemed so frivolous. Never once did he treat her badly and he took her abuse without complaint.

" _He doesn't know the real me. He only knows Jemza, the pretty white haired dagger wielder in SAO. He would never want the real me. No one does. I'm protecting him."_

"It's just…I thought you looked…pretty." Tears were already streaming down her cheeks and she raised both hands desperately trying to wipe them away. No matter how much she tried they wouldn't stop. They mixed with the rain water on her face and she sniffled against the slight chill of the weather.

" _I'm not though. I'm ugly. Nothing about me is pretty. I'm just a lie…a sham. Why did this have to happen? If Argo hadn't said that to me I wouldn't have started thinking about it. We would still be smiling and having fun."_

"We can do whatever you want to do." She clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound of her cries. Her knees shook violently, threatening to make her collapse on the cobblestone road.

" _Whatever I want? Do I have the right to want something after all I've done and said? Why were you so nice to me? Why do you risk your life for me? Why do I feel the need to save you from whatever you've been through? If you don't stop…I won't be able to…"_

"Don't…" He was already a few dozen feet away, but where they were was devoid of anyone but them. As such she heard his footsteps stop over the sound of the rain after she spoke.

" _There's no going back if you do this. He will hate you. You'll only hurt him more and then you'll be alone. If you selfishly choose to do whatever you want for yourself it'll only bring more trouble. Just run away and never look back."_

"What?" He called back to her sadly unsure what to do.

" _I'm selfish, rude, and horrible. Nothing about me is pretty…and yet…whenever he's around, I feel different. The moment we come too close to one another I panic and say stupid things. I yell at him, hit him, and threaten him. I'm not a girl worth the time and effort. So why won't I just run away? Why can't I let go? Why did I fall in love?"_

"Don't let me go!" She fell to her knees splashing in the water that had pooled up on the street. There was no hiding her voice any longer and she cried hard grasping at her chest again. A pain unlike anything she had ever felt pulsed through her. Her body hunched over, her hair falling down in front of her face. She couldn't stop the screams coming from her throat while gasping for air.

"Hey!" She heard Jayce hit the ground next to her no more than a few seconds later, his knees sliding on the road. He reached out towards her, but stopped inches before touching her, hesitating. After what had happened she couldn't blame him, but just as she thought, there was no turning back now.

"Just touch me!"

"Uh…alright sorry." The moment his hands tentatively touched her shoulders she spun and buried her face against him. Just like on the savannah she let everything go, but for very different reasons this time.

"Please, don't let me go…ever." Her fingers dug into the leather of his chest piece and she could feel a hand on her back, the other stroking her hair.

" _It's not too late. Don't say anymore. You can still go back to how it used to be. Nothing has to change."_

"I…want it to change." Her words were a mess between breaths of air and she could feel Jayce shift, looking down at her no doubt in confusion.

"I don't understand what's wrong. I didn't mean to hurt you just tell me what you want to change and I'll do it." She only pushed her head harder against him as he spoke. He didn't understand at all. How could he? He thought this was his entire fault and the way she had been treating him who could blame him?

" _Apologize and tomorrow everything will be alright. Don't say anything more."_

"What do you want?" Jayce asked her quietly. She swallowed and placed the palms of her hands on his chest pushing herself back just enough so she could look at him. Thanks to the rain her hair half covered her face sticking to her eyes and mouth. With a shaking hand she reached up and pushed his hood back off his head, his eyes shifting back and forth nervously.

" _I'm sorry. Nothing more than that."_

"I'm sorry...but I love you." Jayce stared back at her blankly before chuckling awkwardly.

"Um, I'm sure I misheard you. What was that?" She knew he hadn't misheard her, but he couldn't believe it. He needed confirmation to make sure. She took a deep breath to steady herself and rested her head on his shoulder wrapping her arms around the back of his neck.

"You heard me." Both his hands found their way around her back, pulling her tighter against him.

" _This…I don't deserve this, but I don't care. This is what I want."_

"Jemza, I just…I mean I…" He stuttered making her smile as they continued to cling tighter to one another.

"Yeah? I'm waiting." She responded playfully laughing against her tears.

"Sorry, I'm no good at this. Let me try again. I…what the…" A bright blue ball formed between them followed by a quick rushing noise before Jayce's body was launched backwards several feet skidding along the ground. He rolled and tumbled away violently leaving Jemza to watch in shock. A blinking window appeared and she closed her mouth quickly trying not to laugh as Jayce struggled to move a dozen feet away.

Anti-Harrassment System activated. Further contact will result in immediate removal.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

 **December 7** **th** **, 2022**

"If you had just been obedient this wouldn't have happened. Now, you'll pay the price for what you've done."

"Leave me alone!"

"Hold her down. After we're done here, you'll wish you were dead too."

The clock in her peripheral vision showed that it was only two in the morning. After rolling onto her side, Jemza reached up and brushed her hair back out of her face. She opened her mouth and took in a large breath of air before releasing it all at once. These dreams were becoming more frequent than she cared for, but at least this time it made more sense. After what happened with Jayce, this had been on her mind heavily so naturally it had the possibility of leaking into her dreams while she slept.

There were no lights in the room, but thanks to the games natural night vision she could still see everything clearly albeit in darker hues. They had staying in the same inn as last night after eating dinner together. The whole evening had been an awkward mess and neither had said much to each other after her sudden confession. It had been a good kind of silence though. They were both simply too embarrassed to say much of anything to one another. In truth, it still amazed her that she could have such strong feelings after such a short amount of time.

Kicking both her legs frantically the blanket flew off the bed and she sat up in frustration. The thought of sleep right now was a bit frightening and it was still far too early in the morning. Fatigue wavered in the corners of her brain, but even looking down at the bed made her heart pick up the pace. She slapped the bed with her hand and pushed herself up and off the edge until she stood next to it.

Moments later she found herself in front of the mirror staring at her own reflection. She pressed the inventory buttons until she removed her clothing. She couldn't deny that the underwear clad avatar she saw in the mirror was attractive. Her skin was smooth and her hair never seemed to tangle. She turned sideways and couldn't help but smile slightly. Even the curves of her body seemed far too perfect. At least here in Aincrad, she felt beautiful, and no one could take that away.

"I wonder what he thinks." As she finished the sentence out loud she instinctively felt like her temperature had risen and saw her face in the mirror shift from pink to deeper shade. The games ability to mimic physical changes to emotions was beyond amazing. He was clearly attracted to her, but now there was the unanswered question of how they should act around one another. Would they go one like nothing had happened, or were they now stuck stealing awkward glances at one another.

They met each other December 1st, not even a full week ago. Why had she felt so drawn to him so quickly, and in turn was it too fast for him? What if he thought she was the type of girl who became attracted to men quickly, but without much real emotion behind it? In her own mind she knew this wasn't the case. Especially since she had never even had a boyfriend, but from his point of view it was completely understandable that he might come to that conclusion. He hadn't even properly responded to her confession before the System engaged. Did he love her back?

Jemza turned back towards the bed and fell on her knees throwing her face down onto the soft mattress. She was trapped in a game where death meant dying in the real world. Every day could be filled with danger fighting against countless type of monsters and creatures. The time it would take to be released from this game would take years at an optimistic pace. Yet, right now her primary concern was completely centered around a love life she never anticipated.

The day she took the Nerve Gear and quickly got connected to the game's servers had been a means to escape reality. Even if just for a little while she wanted to see a different world, and live as a different person. She was probably one of the only people here that thought of this prison as a blessing. She had planned to become someone else for as long as she was here. To live a happy and exciting life within the confines of SAO. At least for as long as it lasted that is.

Meeting Jayce was supposed to be a temporary thing. Just two people helping each other out for mutual gain. It had been nothing more at first. Then, she received a message from him asking if she would be willing to help on a quest. A simple yes or no question that would lead her to where she was today. By accepting his request, she found herself learning more about him. Seeing various sides of him only made her more curious about him as a person. More than anything he showed that she could trust him.

Then there was the Thieves Guild. Regardless that Rose Vermilion was only an NPC the moment she touched Jayce, no, even talked to him she felt anger. The way she was programmed was meant to portray her as a sultry woman, but the way she spoke to Jayce, and the way she touched him filled her with a sense of jealousy she had never experienced before. It had been eye opening for her and solidified just how much she relied on having him around. The potential threat of another woman, regardless of being an NPC, taking him from her was terrifying.

Jemza buried her head harder into the mattress at the thought of how immature she had acted. In her anger and confusion, she had lashed out at Jayce going so far as to physically push him around. Rose's outfit was definitely pleasing to the eye, even Jemza had to admit that, but seeing Jayce flustered by it tore her up. She pushed herself back up and returned to the mirror. She opened the inventory tab and equipped a few items.

"Hmmm…" She spun slowly looking at herself in the reflection. She had equipped her breastplate, skirt, boots, and gloves. The black tunic and tights were absent from her normal attire. This left her legs above the knee exposed a good distance up her thighs and the lack of a tunic meant her breastplate covered only vital areas, her skin showing everywhere else. She placed a foot behind her and spun quickly, her skirt flared outward exposing her underwear. She blinked in shock a few times before spinning once more repeating the process with the same results.

"Nope, not happening." With a few taps her tights materialized around her legs ensuring that she was now covered regardless of how she moved.

"Must be nice not having to run, jump, climb, and fight." She didn't care that she was muttering to herself let alone that she was sulking about Rose. If she couldn't pull the lower half off, then maybe at least the other side was passable. The breastplate covered her torso down to her stomach, but left the lower part open. The sides were comprised of laces holding the breastplate together which allowed her skin to peak out between each one. The main problem was that her bra was visible near the top front.

"How bad could it be?" She tapped the Remove all underwear button and felt both pieces of garments disappear from her avatar. Her lower half was still covered with her tights, but the moment she felt her skin press against the breastplate she knew there would be problems. She stood up straight in front of the mirror, looked around nervously as if someone was watching, and then jumped once.

"Whoever programmed physics in this game should either win an award or be shot." One hand quickly opened the window to re-equip her underwear while her other pressed against the breastplate to keep certain _assets_ from escaping. She equipped the tunic last and looked in the mirror at how she looked on any normal day. She sighed feeling a bit jealous that Rose was programmed to be able to dress how she could without it interfering with anything.

Abandoning the attempts at modifying her clothing just to impress Jayce left her back to wondering just how he felt about her. Even if she could have altered her outfit to be more revealing is that the impression she wanted to give off? He could take it the wrong way or even worse, be scared off. Considering how she had been acting in the past she figured that even if she walked in naked he would most likely run away out of fear of how bad she might beat him just for seeing her. It made her smile knowing that he worried so much about how she felt and how she thought.

Why did the System activate when it did? Her smile softened as she remembered how the Anti-Harassment System activated just as he was about to respond to her, blasting him backwards. It was in place to keep people for forcibly assaulting other players and NPC's, but this wasn't like that. Did the developers of SAO really intend for two players to never have physical contact with one another? Romance within MMO games was always a commonality and in a virtual environment where you could interact face to face why would they want to prohibit that?

Perhaps Argo knew something about it? Jemza quickly shook her head to forget that idea. Argo would no doubt connect the dots and find out about her and Jayce. If she asked Argo about how to circumvent the Anti-Harassment System, then logically it meant that Jemza was wanting some sort of physical contact with someone. It was a nightmare waiting to happen and she could already see that evil smile on Argo's face.

What was important now, was finding out how Jayce felt. If he didn't completely feel the same then all of this was for nothing. After the way he hugged her last night she hoped that he was at least somewhat having the same feelings for her. If she was going to get an answer on this, then it had to be when he was caught off guard. He tended to be unable to converse properly when cornered or placed in a dangerous position.

"Alright." Jemza grinned and took a deep breath. It might take a bit of courage on her part, but there was one way that she could think of to create just such an event. She headed towards the door remembering something about inns and grouping that would give her the chance. Normally, inn doors could not be picked, and could only be accessed by those who owned the room. Being in a group was only slightly different. All purchased rooms were accessible by anyone in the group.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Back home in the States Jayce knew a few people who had orthopedic body pillows. It was something he hadn't really thought much about until coming to Japan. In Japan they almost seemed like a top commodity. Dakimakura, as they were called in Japan opened his eyes to a whole different culture. While still remaining true to being a body pillow, most had various characters printed onto each side of the pillow. Usually this consisted of anime characters in, more often than not, compromising poses. Coming from the Midwest United States, Jayce found it hard to understand how anyone could feel comfortable using a dakimakura.

The lewd printings of anime characters aside, he now was understanding the draw of a body pillow. There was something comforting about being able to wrap your arms around a large, soft pillow. Maybe he had been too quick to judge people who used dakimakuras in the past. If he had known they could be this relaxing to cling to then perhaps once he was out of SAO he would have to consider buying one. Preferably one without the erotic anime printing on it. The only real problem that came to mind right now as he shifted his head was that there weren't any body pillows in SAO.

Jayce's eyes opened wide and he could physically feel his heart pounding against his ribs. There was no such thing has body pillows in SAO, or at least not on these lower floors. If they didn't exist, then what exactly was he holding onto right now? His hand was resting just ahead of his face. The fact that he could feel his head and see his hand move up and down ever so slightly continued to amplify his fears. This of course was also because he could see strands of white hair covering his hand and arm.

"No…" The terror in his mind came out as a verbal whimper. There was only one origin of white hair that Jayce was aware of. Given that his head and hand rested on something very soft covered in a white t-shirt he knew that pain would be coming soon.

" _What is this? I slept in my own room didn't I? This doesn't make any sense!"_

"Hey, what are you doing in my room?" Jemza's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he tensed up reflexively. This was her room? It was possible since all the rooms looked the same, but when did he go into her room?

" _This isn't possible; I couldn't enter her room without her letting me in. The doors are locked. Did I go to her room at some point? Why can't I remember?"_

"I know you're awake. You've got three seconds to explain why you're in my room and why your hand is touching me there." Panic swept through Jayce's mind as he tried to piece everything together last night. He didn't remember anything past falling asleep in his own room. What else had happened that he didn't know about. Were parts of it just a dream? What about the things she said in the middle of the road in the rain, was that just a dream?

" _This is impossible! Did I somehow get into her room last night? The game wouldn't allow that though right? I'm going to die aren't I?"_ As slowly as he could he lifted his hand off her body.

"Please don't kill me." It was the most pathetic sounding voice he ever heard come from his lips, but given that this was equally the most confusing situation he'd been in, he couldn't help it.

"I don't know what kind of girl you think I am Alchemist, but if you think you can just sneak into my room and take advantage of me, you are dead wrong." She wasn't using his name which meant she was mad. Was everything last night just a dream? Maybe he dreamt of her confessing her feelings to him and he went to her room not fully aware it had just been a dream? That didn't explain getting into her room though.

"No, I didn't I swear! I can't even get into your room without you letting me in." He didn't have the courage to look up at her and instead buried his head. He felt her take in a sharp breath and hold it for a second.

"First, if you're in a group you can enter each other's rooms freely. That's common knowledge. Secondly, would you get your face of my chest." He had completely forgotten that if his hand was somewhere it shouldn't have been then his head was too. To make it worse he had just turned and buried it into her. He quickly backed away off the edge of the bed hitting the ground hard.

Was what she said true? If group members could enter each other's rooms then maybe, he did sneak in here last night. Why didn't he remember doing it though? He wasn't the type to sneak into girls' rooms and slip into bed with them. After the thorough beating Jemza gave him for the last misunderstanding he would never do something like that to her. Everything that happened last night must have been a dream. Since he didn't understand that until just now he must of subconsciously went to her room last night. It didn't sound at all like something he would do and yet here he was.

"Now you've really done it. I thought you were different, but it looks like you really are just looking for one thing from me. It makes sense why you were so enamored with Rose yesterday." Jemza rotated after sitting up in the bed so that she was facing him, her legs dangling off the side of the bed. She wasn't even trying to cover up the fact that she was in her sleep wear. Just how angry could she be that she wasn't concerned with him seeing like this?

"That's not true! I swear I don't remember coming here! I would never do that to you!" Jayce didn't even care that Jemza's smooth legs hung a few inches away from his face. There was far too much danger to notice something like that right now.

"Oh? I suppose you don't remember groping me all morning either do you?" Was it just his imagination or did she sound…amused? This wasn't like the other morning at all. There wasn't the same shocked anger she displayed. This sounded more like she talked when she was picking on him.

"There's no way…wait a second. That window is overlooking the front of the inn. Your room was on the west side. Your window should be overlooking that small restaurant next door." Jayce turned back towards her and she visibly cringed a bit.

"How dare you try to change the subject after what you pulled!" She rarely panicked, at least not like this. Something was definitely up and Jayce knew he would never do the things she was accusing him of.

"No, I'm right, this is my room. What are you doing in here? What was all that about Rose just now?" Confidence in his deductions began to surge through him. Slowly he could see Jemza beginning to falter and crack under the pressure.

"This isn't my room? How were you able to drag me into your room without waking me up?" The ridiculousness of this girl had officially reached a new level. He knew he had her caught in whatever she was trying to pull, but Jemza was too proud to admit defeat. She never knew when to quit.

"Do you even hear yourself? I didn't drag you anywhere! I never went in your room, and I would never dream of laying a hand on you while you slept! That means you came in here on your own…and got in the bed…and…" The confidence he had in questioning her was still there, but piecing things together bit by bit was making him more aware of her. Now that he was sure he hadn't done anything wrong his eyes began to register to his brain properly. Aside from the other morning when she quickly became violent in regards to her modesty, he had never been this close to her like this.

He couldn't help but stare at her legs, mostly since they were filling a good portion of his current vantage point. Did they always have a slight shine to them? She always wore tights so how would he know anyway? They were exposed well up past her thighs until they reached her shorts. Could those even be called shorts at this point? She wasn't trying to cover herself this time, but he was staring for far too long. It wouldn't be long until she snapped like always.

"You're…embarrassing me." One of her feet rose and pressed against his forehead pushing him back just a few inches. Her voice wasn't angry like he expected, but something entirely different. She really did sound embarrassed or even shy. He could just barely see a timid smile on her lips from around the edges of her foot. It was by far the most beautiful face he'd ever seen on her.

"Sorry, I was staring again." He lowered his head, but a slight bit of pressure from her foot pushed his head back up to its original position. She was battling with some sort of internal struggle.

"I don't mind." She was barely whispering and it took her a long time to say what she said. She pulled her foot back and folded her hands nervously on her lap.

"What's going on? I still don't understand what exactly happened." Jayce forced himself to not stare at anything except her face for now. At least until he got a full grasp on this morning's events. In responses Jemza breathed out heavily and looked away ashamed.

"I couldn't sleep last night. I started over thinking things and came up with a really bad idea to come in here. I thought it might be the only way, but it backfired."

"Over thinking what, and it might be the only way to do what?" As he pressed her further she seemed to shrink back even more. He had never seen her so guilty before and it was hard not to laugh.

"Geez, of course you'd make me say it. I got jealous that you stared at Rose the other day. Then after last night when I said I lo...when things happened I started thinking maybe you liked girls like that. I thought you might look at me the same way if I snuck into your room and you saw me like this. I was hoping you'd be more panicked, but it didn't work out very well. I'm sorry." Jayce stared at her dumbly in response not sure how to proceed.

"Rose is an NPC and I already told you that her actions simply caught me off guard. I wasn't staring at her. This isn't like you at all, I don't understand what the point of all this was. I mean if things had gone your way what was the ultimate goal of all this?" So, she was still having issues with what happened in the Thieves Guild yesterday. She became so jealous that she was willing to go to this extent, but why?

"Isn't it obvious? You never said anything last night!" Her face became desperate for a moment before she quickly pulled back and looked away. Now it made sense in his head. Nothing was a dream at all. The System engaged before he could say anything back to her after she poured her heart out to him. The rest of the night had gone by awkwardly with little conversation. She must have spent all night wondering how he felt. She put aside her own nervousness and modesty to try and corner him into blurting it out.

"Why didn't you just ask me? You didn't have to go through all this you know?" It never ceased to amaze him just how much her facial expressions could change. She was pretending to be angry at first, then became shy, but now there was real anger beginning to bubble up.

"I'm sitting here dressed like this, admitting that I did something stupid all for the sake of wanting to know if you love me, and you're going to lecture me?" This would be the time when red lights and warning sirens came to life in the room. She already knew now that she had made a mistake and he was rubbing salt in the wound.

"Hey, you came in here remember? Plus, those are just pajamas right? It's not like you're in your underwear." He laughed nervously hoping to ease the tension, but he could almost make out little balls of fire in her eyes.

"You're saying it's not a big deal for me to look like this? I guess I'll just wear this from now on so everyone can get a good look."

"No!" Medical and scientific thoughts began to enter Jayce's head. Reactionary responses were always performed without intelligent thought. Take for instance now. The thought of anyone seeing Jemza like this elicited a natural protective response from him. He didn't own her, but he couldn't deny that he wanted certain aspects of her to himself. That was the mental response to what she said.

The physical response, and likely the far stupider response, was to reach out and grab her. This was of course not done violently, but out of pure fear that she would up and run out the door. A logical person would gently grab her hand or arm to show that he didn't want her to leave. Logic took time and brainpower which reactionary responses rarely allowed for. So, that meant he had reached out and grabbed the closest part of her available. It was strange how you could instantly regret and yet equally be excited by a single action. They both looked down at his hand holding her leg a good distance above the knee. In slow motion they both looked back up into each other's eyes.

"You…" Those balls of fire he saw earlier in her eyes…were they getting bigger?

"I can explain!" Reactionary responses from Jemza were fairly standard. Anger, rage, and usually finished with violence. Why hadn't he removed his hand from her leg yet? Was it possible for something to be this soft and smooth?

"You!" Ah yes, her voice had moved past anger now. This was rage, the second step in Jemza's reactionary response. Usually by now Jayce knew to cower and apologize, but his inability to let go of her leg seemed to be draining the intelligence from his head. He could already see her fists balling up and the fire in her eyes seemed to be more like an inferno now. This was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met and couldn't stop the smile from appearing on his face.

"I love you." He said it and he felt that the smile on his face would convey just how much he meant it. His loving touch on her leg would only help to spread the emotion he felt towards her in a way that she would fall into his arms. That of course was the stupidity that had replaced the intelligence.

"Round three Alchemist!" Her first fist came racing forward, but the smile never left his face. He even squeezed her thigh just before it connected. If he was going to die, then what did he have to lose. Who knew that even while in a Safe Zone you could be beaten so badly.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

"So, you really want to do these quests?" Jemza turned down the alley that would lead towards the Thieves Guild while glancing over her shoulder.

"Not if you don't want to, but selfishly speaking, yes I think these would be a lot of fun." Jayce followed her into the alley just a few steps behind.

"We don't even know what they will consist of. They could get a lot more dangerous than what we did yesterday. It didn't seem like Argo knew much about them either. We'll be on our own." Jayce nodded in agreement to her assessment, but couldn't help feeling a bit excited at the prospect of what these quests might entail.

"If we get something that's out of our league we stop then. There's nothing forcing us to follow through unless we want to." He felt that was a fair compromise that would assuage her fears.

"Yeah, there's no harm in…what's the saying? Seeing how far the rabbit hole goes?" Jayce smirked in response, nodding that she had remembered the quote properly. They stopped at the brick wall and Jemza ran her hand along the portion where it met the alley until she found the depression underneath. With the press of a button it swung outward allowing them to continue towards the Infiltrator's Den.

"It's not like we don't already look the part. We both wear black and our skills really fit well into a thief type of role." Jemza shrugged leading them into the tunnel that would mark the last portion of their journey towards the guild.

"I think you just want to see Rose again." Jayce rolled his eyes sarcastically and reached out to grab her shoulder. He pulled her to a stop and spun her around so he could see her face.

"Drop it alright? I'll take whatever you throw at me when you want to have fun, but stop accusing me of that. I don't like it." He made sure his tone was as serious as possible. It was important that she understood that he wasn't as weak willed as she thought. Especially not after the last 24 hours.

"Alright, sorry. Never seen you so serious. I'm glad you weren't undressing her with your eyes last time." She answered him while forcing a smile. It might take a little time, but now that they both knew how each other felt he could work to show her that he only cared about looking at one person. That very thought gave him an idea that might allow him a small bit of revenge for what she tried to pull this morning. Summoning up all his courage he held her arms gently before looking up and down her body.

"Nah, I only do that with you." The moment he finished the sentence he spun away from her and continued into the tunnel. It was a gamble considering they were most likely outside of the Safe Zone of Urbus by now. If she wanted to attack him, it would cause real damage now. It was worth it to know he had put her off guard for once. As that thought ran through his mind he was pulled around and pushed against the side of the tunnel. This felt like déjà vu except that Jemza didn't look angry this time. He had to suck in a breath of air as she brought her face close enough that their noses touched.

"Then you best figure out a way around the harassment system." She let him go and without missing a beat she turned and walked away. It took a few seconds for him to regain his senses and to realize that he never had her off guard. She turned it on him without hesitation and once more he knew he lost. She reached down to her hip and pulled the dagger free. She slid the blade across her hand drawing a glowing red line of damage. Jayce did the same on the edge of his sword as they reached the end of the tunnel and placed their hands on the plaque that would open the way to the tavern.

The hidden doorway swung open and within moments they were standing inside the Infiltrator's Den. The patrons seated at tables looked up from their drinks and gave nods of recognition. It was still strange how this entire area felt like it was real and not just filled with NPC's. The way they nodded or raised their glasses made it seem like they truly recognized the pair from their last visit. Maybe it was part of the programming algorithms that as they completed objectives for the guild the members would become friendlier.

"Ah! You've returned at last! Come, come!" Rose weaved her way through the bar reaching out towards the two with her hands. She leaned in between them, wrapping an arm around each of them in a hug.

"We have the documents you asked for." Jayce opened his inventory and found the quest item he had received last night. With a tap it materialized into his hand and he held the folder towards her.

"Oh, I like a man who gets right down to business without beating around the bush. Just remember that all work and no play makes for a very uneventful life." She turned on her heel motioning for them to follow. Jayce made sure to look her in the eyes as they spoke. This time his eyes didn't wander and he could only hope Jemza would notice. He could already sense her irritation rising next to him as they made their way into Rose's office.

"It was a little tricky getting in, but it all worked out." Jayce set the folder down on her desk. She took a seat in her chair and flipped it open scanning over the papers inside.

"You never told me your names last time you were here." She closed the contents and leaned back smiling at the pair. Jayce glanced over at his companion who could only shrug in response.

"Sorry, I never realized that. I'm Jayce."

"Jemza." Jayce couldn't help but notice the flatness in her voice. Rose shifted her gaze between the pair before placing her arms back on the table.

"Well, Jayce and Jemza, I could really use a pair like you. The guild could use you, rather. There was a time when we weren't just a small band of thieves hiding in this hole." There was a longing in her voice that was hard not to notice.

"Where else would thieves belong?" Jemza's voice was flippant and whether she meant it or not Jayce glared at her for being so rude. He looked back at Rose whose smile was gone.

"If only things were as black and white as you must see them. Let me make things clear to you. You see us as petty criminals don't you?" Rose began speaking, focusing in on Jemza.

"I…"

"Quiet, I wasn't looking for an answer." Rose cut her off and Jemza sat back fearfully. Neither had heard Rose speak like she was now. It was commanding and passionate, but also dangerous.

"Rose…" A quick look from the redhead silenced Jayce as well.

"Do you know how many of us have died? How many continue to die? I've watched friends cut down before my eyes, helpless to do anything. Let me paint you a picture. Imagine Jayce tied to the floor, stripped naked. You, are chained to the wall as a man holds your face so you cannot look away. You cry out, but no one listens or cares. Each desperate plea you make only draws laughter from the people circling his body. The first sword that pierces his body is done so slowly that it enrages you. A fist to your stomach shuts you up and once more your face is twisted towards them as they continue to slowly and mercilessly bleed Jayce out before your eyes. Then again…if all you see him as is a thief with no heart then I suppose you wouldn't care. Would you?"

"That's…" Jemza was visibly shaking now. How could this possibly be part of the quest line? Rose was far too advanced to be a simple NPC. There was something bigger at play here. Perhaps a game admin was controlling her? That seemed highly unlikely, but how else could she be responding how she was?

"You don't know anything about us girl. We don't steal from the weak and helpless. We don't kill the defenseless. We bring no harm to anyone undeserving. Our goal is and has always been to target the corrupt and evil that plagues the downtrodden. Didn't you realize that when I sent you to procure these documents? Slavery, Jemza. I wanted these so I can work towards bringing an end to Demeter Wright's slave trading. I told you that.

We take from those undeserving so that those suffering may hope. We sabotage the plans of vile men and women so that no one wishes to associate with them. And we kill the foulest people to walk these lands so that others like them will fear the shadows." Rose's eyes glistened as she spoke. Never once did she turn away from Jemza.

"We didn't…"

"Get out." Jayce snapped his head towards Jemza who interrupted him. She still stared back at Rose making Jayce more nervous.

"What?"

"She said get out. A smart man listens to his woman." This time Rose responded and the fact that neither woman had looked his way throughout this was severely unnerving.

"My woman? That's…right, nevermind." These were two women that now had an issue with each other. Jemza's existed in the realm of jealousy while Rose's seemed to border on pride. He wasn't sure if Jemza even considered Rose an NPC anymore. The two of them seemed ready for open war with one another. Being that this was not a Safe Zone made him more than a little fearful of such a thing.

"Listen you two…" This time the two spun on him at the same time their faces etched with fury.

"Get out!" No more than twenty seconds later Jayce sat at a table holding a mug that another guild member NPC had slid his way. An arm from another member wrapped around his shoulder patting him gently.

"Welcome to the family my friend and good luck. You'll need it I think." Jayce could only lower his head onto the table sighing sadly in agreement. The men around laughed patting him again on the shoulder.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

"You two handled the Wright estate business yeah?" A man directly on Jayce's left asked the question. A mace hung from his hip accompanied by a wooden shield slung over his back. He slid a mug between his hands on the table while looking at Jayce. He had a grizzled war veteran look to him that gave off the impression that he was well trained in the use of his weapon.

"That's right." Jayce answered the man before taking a sip of the liquid in the mug he had been handed a few minutes earlier.

"Strange that Rose would trust a pair o newcomers with something like that." A woman with long blonde hair sat down on the opposite side of Jayce. The sword on her back was larger than a longsword, but not quite the size of a greatsword. A bastard sword was what it had to be then. A weapon able to be effectively used with one hand or two depending on the situation.

"They managed." The man beside Jayce responded to her comment.

"Aye, that's true I meant no offense. Name's Luna, Luna Duskmantle. This here's Roland McGlade." The woman held her hand out and Jayce shook it once before repeating the process with Roland.

"Jayce, nice to meet you both." Neither one of these NPC's had a quest marker over their heads. It seemed strange that they would converse with him like this without some sort of reason.

"And yer lass? Jayce turned towards Luna questioningly.

"My what?" He had to try not to smile as he asked. For whatever reason the programmers clearly generated Luna's manner of speech to resemble that of either a pirate or maybe even a high fantasy dwarf.

"Lass! Yer lass, what's er name?" Jayce understood her, but couldn't suppress the smile spreading across his face as he listened to this woman talk.

"Ah, Jemza is her name, but she's not my uh…lass."

"Jemza eh? White hair with the nice legs? Hard to miss a pretty little thing like that." Luna lifted her mug as she finished talking making Roland and Jayce chuckle.

"Ignore her, she likes to tease." Roland reached out and slapped Jayce on the shoulder playfully.

"Bah ye big sod who's joking? Acting like ye weren't staring at er hind quarters as she walked by! Hah!" Luna slammed her mug down on the table jabbing a finger towards Roland. Jayce turned towards the man who lifted his own mug up to his mouth to hide his face.

"Lies and slander." All three laughed and in that short amount of time Jayce found himself enjoying these two, even if they were just NPC's. The way they spoke seemed so natural as if they were real people.

"Have you both been part of the guild for a long time?" Jayce posed the question and the two looked at each other before looking back at him.

"Couple years for me. Worked as a mercenary before that. Was hired by all sorts of people, but one of them was this real big guy. Not even sure why he needed people like me with his size, but anyway he hired us to escort a small caravan of supplies. Or at least that's what we were told. Thing is, the wagons weren't filled with supplies. They were filled with the bodies of children. Kids that died in an iron mine the man forced them to work in. Made me sick to my stomach so when his men met us to take the wagons I cut them down. Rose caught wind of it and offered me a job." Roland's story made Jayce feel a knot in his stomach. It seemed that SAO had a darker side to it than just a fantasy MMO game.

"Been ere since I was a young girl. Me mother and father abandoned me when I was just a baby. An orphanage took me in and took care of me, but I mostly lived off the streets. Learned to take what I needed when no one was lookin. Got really good at it. Another kid like me was starving and couldn't afford any food. I was careless in me haste to find something that I got caught. I tried to explain twas for me friend who was dying of hunger, but he didn't care. Threw me in an alley and gave me this." Luna pulled the top of her tunic open revealing a jagged scar running from her left shoulder down into the shadows of her shirt.

"That's horrible!" Jayce could feel his stomach continuing to turn. Did everyone in the guild have a past like this?

"Aye, was only thirteen then. Cut me all the way down to my hip and left me to die in the alley." Jayce could only stare at her in shock that she managed to survive such an injury.

"You're saying you took a sword across your entire chest that young and lived?" Luna nodded in answer before letting a grin cross her face.

"Aye, play yer cards right, maybe buy me a drink and I'll show you later."

"Pfft hah!" Roland banged the table with his hand at the sight of Jayce's face turning red.

"That's not…" Luna was already waving a hand laughing as hard as Roland was.

"Yer an innocent one ain't ye? Gotta fix that o'er you'll wind up dead. Women like a man who takes charge and doesn't balk so easily. Best to work on that!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Jayce rolled his eyes embarrassed that he was being pushed around by a pair of NPC's. The door leading to Rose's office opened making all three jump in their seats. Luna and Roland both glanced at Jayce nervously while quickly drinking from their mugs. Jayce turned around slowly fearing the worst after how tense things had been when the two women kicked him out of the office. The mug in his hand fell from his grasp clattering to the floor. Of all the things that made no sense this topped everything.

"We'll take care of it Rose don't worry." Jemza turned to face the redhead holding both her hands. Even with her eyepatch covering on of her eyes there was a sense of relief that showed in the other.

"I couldn't be more thankful. This means so much to me." Rose bowed once squeezing Jemza's hands.

"I know, that's why we will make sure this is done right." Jemza and Rose both pulled each other close hugging one another. The sight of it made Jayce's mouth open stupidly. Just what was going on here?

"You will come back and see me afterwards right? I must admit I will be a nervous wreck with anticipation." Rose patted Jemza's cheek with one of her hands and the white haired girl nodded with a smile.

"Of course, right away." With one last squeeze Rose pushed Jemza back and spun her around.

"Off you go then my dear. Please be safe." She slapped Jemza on the rear making her jump in surprise, but otherwise it brought no reaction from her. Jayce continued to stare in a daze. This had to be some sort of dream right? These two were at each other's throats not long ago and now they were like two sisters.

"Jayce, come." Jemza strode by where he sat heading for the door that would lead out of the Infiltrators Den.

"Come? I'm not a dog." Roland and Luna both stifled their laughs as Jayce stood up and followed her.

"Til next time Jayce." Roland raised his mug still trying not to laugh.

"Remember what I said. Take charge!" Luna cheered making Jayce mumble under his breath. Jemza's walk seemed to have a bounce to it as he followed her out of the tavern and back up the stairs into the tunnel. What had her so excited? Furthermore, just what happened back there with Rose?

"Saw you made some friends in the guild. You understand now don't you?" Jemza didn't look back, but asked the question from up ahead.

"No, I can honestly say I don't understand a single thing about what just happened." He heard a slight giggle from her before she responded.

"Do you remember Horunka when we first arrived and you treated the man who greeted us coldly? He was just an NPC to you and I yelled at you for it. The girl that you saved, the other guild members, and Rose you treated differently. They're just NPC's right?" Jayce still didn't know here she was going with this, but everything she said was correct.

"Yeah, I guess. What about it?" Jemza stopped and turned to face him.

"They're not just NPC's to you though. They look and talk like real people. They can laugh and cry just like us. That's why that little girl had such an impact. You saw Katie in her didn't you? Rose treated us like we were family welcomed us quite literally with open arms. It's hard to ignore that kind of gesture and just brush it off as computer programming." Jayce felt a slight bit of anger rise at the casual mention of his sister's name. Jemza wasn't wrong though, that was exactly what happened in Horunka.

"Where are you going with this Jemza?" She took a few steps forward closing the distance between them.

"I didn't realize it until I spoke with Rose and she explained it to me. I don't know how I missed it. It doesn't matter if it's me or just a simple NPC that looks like a little girl. Regardless how afraid you used to be, you would risk it all to save someone else. Wouldn't you?"

"I suppose." He was beginning to feel uncomfortable for some reason. Why was Jemza probing him about things like this?

"Rose saw that in your eyes when we first met her. That's why she welcomed us and trusted us like she did. An NPC was able to look at you and understand you. It made me feel horrible that I couldn't look at you and understand you as easily. She told me that you reminded her of her husband. A man that would do anything for those he loved, no matter the cost."

"Her husband?" Jayce stared into Jemza's eyes unable to look away.

"She said the way you looked at me was the same way he used to look at her. Right up until he was tortured and killed before her eyes. Murdered so that she would live." Jayce swallowed hard listening to Jemza.

"I didn't know."

"I'm going to help Rose track the people down who did this to her. She's worked in the shadows for years to try and find those responsible for her husband's death. She's not an NPC to me anymore Jayce. I'm invested now, because if something like that ever happened to you I don't think I could go on. I'm not as strong as Rose is, but in that office I saw who she really is. She's scared and lonely and doesn't know who to turn to. I'm going to help her to avenge her husband so she might find peace. She's my friend and I won't let her feel alone anymore." She wasn't directing her anger at Jayce, but he could hear the determination in her voice. Jemza was angry and focused on what she wanted to do, and it was nice to know for once that he wasn't the cause or reason for it.

"You're right. Even the two I met in the tavern had some dark pasts. I felt sad hearing about it. Didn't matter that they were NPC's, I still felt sympathy. This is our home for however long we are stuck here, which makes people like them the closest thing to family we might have. Let's start treating them as such." Jemza smiled, reaching out to take one of his hands.

"I'm sorry for my jealousy. I felt threatened by Rose. She's confident, beautiful, and intelligent. A perfect combination that any man would find attractive. That didn't give me the right to treat you and speak to you how I did. I've…never had a boyfriend so this is all new to me." She sounded embarrassed, but Jayce couldn't help but be impressed with the woman standing before him. Whatever had happened between her and Rose had opened her more than ever.

"Never?" Jemza was beautiful in her own right. It seemed strange that a girl like her had remained single her entire life.

"I'm no different than Rose, Jayce. We all have dark pasts, mine is no different."

"You told Rose about it didn't you?" That had to be why the two found comfort in one another. Whatever secrets Jemza kept hidden must have been exposed to Rose and in turn Rose had shared hers. The two had bonded over whatever broken pasts they shared as women.

"I did. Someday I will tell you. Not because I feel obligated to, but because you've never pressured me to. You've always respected me as a person. One day when I'm stronger I'll tell you everything and then you can decide for yourself if I'm still worth dying for."

"And if I still feel you're worth it?" Jemza let go of his hand and turned her back to him looking up at the ceiling of the tunnel they were in.

"I'm already yours Jayce. You just have to grow a pair and realize that." She began walking away again leaving him to watch. In SAO you earned experience and leveled up to strengthen your character. The time between when they stepped into Rose's office to when she came out she had metaphorically leveled up as a person. The confidence she had now was leagues apart from where she had been before. There was no embarrassment or shyness in how she spoke to him just now. It was to the point and without regret. He felt ashamed that he wasn't able to make the same leaps she was making.

"Alright Luna, I'll give it a shot." He whispered the words and ran to catch up to his partner.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

"Marome? What's in Marome?" The pair had just passed through the rotating brick wall that led into the alley of Urbus proper. Jemza looked over at him as they walked side by side. He hadn't received any notification of a new quest being started so when she said their next destination would be a town a few kilometers southeast of Urbus he was confused.

"It's a small town. Might even be smaller than Horunka to be honest, but Rose had a lead there. A man named Kurt Wagner was seen there not long ago. I didn't press her for all the details, but Kurt was the one who sold Rose and her husband out. It started everything that led to his death."

"Sold them out to whom, and for what?" Jayce asked and Jemza could only shrug in response.

"Like I said, I didn't press her for information. This is sensitive and I didn't want to hurt her more by reliving old nightmares." He couldn't fault her on that one. After reliving that night when his own mother and sister died he wouldn't have put Rose through it either.

"We still haven't done any looking into that guy who tried to kill us. Are you alright to leave Urbus?" Jayce hadn't forgotten about the main reason they had remained in Urbus.

"I'm fine, yes. I know you want to track him down for what he did. I know your motivation behind that is because I almost died. I'm grateful for that, but right now I am really focused on helping Rose." Her voice was more calm and steady than he'd heard from her before. It wasn't his place to ask, but it seemed like there was personal stake in this for Jemza as well. It was possible that this was similar to the Anneal Blade quest and how it touched close to home for Jayce. Perhaps something Rose had said hit her the same way.

"Ok, sounds good." Jemza smiled and opened her menu tapping a few buttons. A notification appeared in Jayce's view indicating that a new step to the quest had been added. He looked over at her in surprise.

"How'd you do that? So, this is a continuation of the quest line."

"I got it while Rose and I were talking. There was a button to share it with anyone who was in the group. I don't think this is part of the normal Thieves Guild quests. I can't be certain, but I think we somehow unlocked a unique quest line that branched off from the standard." The two exited the alley onto the busy street of Urbus. NPC's and players walked along the road heading to wherever they desired.

"So, we might be the only people to experience this?" Jayce asked her with a slight bit of excitement.

"I don't know how, but yeah I think so. Might be because of how she and I argued. Then again, it also could be that we finished the first quest together as a couple. Not sure how the game would know that, but if it can detect subtle differences in our speech patterns and mannerisms then maybe it knew. What do you think?" Jemza turned towards him only to find a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"So…we're a couple?" She rolled her eyes in response punching him in the shoulder.

"Shut up and stay on task." A small laugh made its way out of her mouth at the end of her sentence.

"I am! This is important to know. If we're a couple then I need to remember things like Christmas, Valentine's Day, and your birthday. We never actually made anything official."

"If I said yes would you get back to the matter at hand?" She was being coy like usual.

"Absolutely."

"Fine, then we're a couple." Jayce laughed and shook his head after hearing her response.

"That didn't sound like you meant it at all!" He clamped his mouth shut as she spun on him. In the middle of the busy Urbus street she pressed herself against him while grabbing the collar of his shirt in both hands.

"Rose also said she's aware of the deep magics that seem to prohibit physical contact between two people. That must be how the game NPC's refer to the Anti-Harassment System. She said she might be able to help, so if you really want to know just how much I meant what I said then you'd be wise to shut up and stay focused." She stepped back before spinning forward and walking once more.

"O…ok I'm focused!" He jogged a few steps until he was walking beside her once more.

"Good, she said Kurt might still be in Marome. It's the only lead she had, and most likely the last one. We have to find this guy and make him talk." Jayce nodded in understanding.

"Jemza, I don't have a problem with this, but I feel I should make it clear what's going on. Helping Rose sounds like we will be tracking down her husband's killers. Interrogating people for information and slowly unraveling the story of her past. What do you think will happen to these people as we find them and get our answers?" These types of quests were familiar to him. He had performed them many times in other games and they were always his favorite. Jemza, however, might not have the stomach for it. She might not even know what she agreed to.

"Not sure what you're asking." Jayce reached out and grabbed her hand gently, pulling her to a stop. He looked around to make sure no one was too close to them.

"Rose will want revenge. I would to so I have no problem with that, but we aren't just sneaking into some mansion to steal documents this time. If we find this man in Marome, he won't just talk willingly. We will have to put him to the blade and make him talk. Once he does he can't be left alive to inform his friends about us.

I noticed it in the tavern today. The Thieves Guild isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't just some fantasy quest line of hunting monsters and getting treasure. These people's stories are full of pain, sadness, and death. We are going to be part of that now and I'm worried if you can handle being what we will need to be." Jemza looked down at their hands clasped together and then back up into his eyes.

"What will we need to be?"

"Assassins." It took a few moments for him to answer, but it was the truth. They would hunt the people who wronged Rose and kill them. In other games Jayce had hunted other players so the concept wasn't foreign. It was exciting and thrilling, but it also didn't cater to everyone.

"I want to be more like Rose. I want to be more like you too. Facing your pasts and becoming stronger for it. I don't want to run anymore so teach me. You said you made your character based off an assassin in a book you liked right? Teach me to be an assassin too and we'll do this together. All the way until the end with no regrets." He expected to see some fear or hesitation in her eyes, but it wasn't there. At that moment Jayce realized what his goal was in SAO. He could never compete with the brave few soldiering through the dungeon to clear the floors. They were fighting to save everyone from this prison, and in comparison Jayce's focus seemed so miniscule. All he cared about now was getting this girl out alive.

"Yeah, I can do that. From now on we stay committed to this, not just for Rose, but for ourselves too. No matter the risk." Jemza smiled and looked over her shoulder towards the direction that would lead out the southern side of Urbus.

"This is it then. Everything until now was just the beginning. We start our adventure here and now…together. We don't look back, not anymore." She moved so that she was beside him still holding his hand.

"Right, I can't think of anything more exciting to start our story." He agreed squeezing her hand.

"Oi! Miss White and the Alchemist!" Their combined agility scores shouldn't have been high enough to warrant the speed that their hands separated. Both their eyes widened in shock at the sound of the voice calling from behind them.

"Our stories beginning. It sucks." Jayce mumbled to which Jemza could only nod.

"I know you two can hear me! Gotcha!" Argo leapt between them throwing her arms around their shoulders.

"Hey Argo." Jemza managed to sound happy to see the rat beside her. Jayce on the other hand continued to sulk.

"Finished the guide for this floor. How's that little secret I told you about going?" Argo's mouth opened in her usual toothy grin when she was overly proud of herself.

"Actually, it's going great we're about to head to Marome for the next part. The guild leader had some personal things she wanted our help with." Argo's hands slipped off their shoulders and her grin vanished just as quick.

"Guild leader? She doesn't provide any quests until a few more floors higher and even then it's just a few errands." Jemza and Jayce looked at each other in confusion. Rose had greeted them herself from the very beginning. Whatever Argo had anticipated for the Thieves Guild was wrong.

"The guild leader is the only person who has given us quests so far. First one was to steal a document from an estate on the edge of town." Jayce explained it to the brown hooded girl, but the whole time her brown curls shook back in forth in denial.

"No, no, no, that's not right at all. A lower level guild member sends you to steal documents. A few other people who have found the place all confirmed that. You're saying the guild master herself sent you?" Argo's eyes looked ready to jump out of their sockets. Jemza opened her mouth to respond, but Jayce quickly slapped his hand over it to silence her.

"You want to know? A thousand col." Argo's mouth opened as she stared at him incredulously.

"I thought we were friends Alchemist. Even after we bonded together alone in your room the day the portal opened. You said our love was a boundless ocean that spanned the world many times over!" Jemza held her breath so she wouldn't laugh. Jayce leaned down towards the smirking rat and placed his hands on her cheeks. Her grin quickly looked nervous and not as confident.

"You're right, I forgot about that. 500 col then because of our boundless love for one another." Argo took a moment realizing her attempts had failed and shook her head. She reached up and patted him on the cheek.

"You win this round. I shouldn't have underestimated you." He released her face as she sighed sadly.

"You're sure about how the quests should work?" Jayce asked and her hood bobbed up and down.

"Yes, you two must have triggered something else. Will you tell me about it? I would of course give you full credit for your findings." Argo looked between the pair hoping they would agree to her request.

"Give us a little time to see what comes next. We aren't far enough to give you much and we don't fully understand how it happened either. We'll let you know everything as we learn." Jemza answered for them both and it seemed to appease Argo for now.

"Thank you Miss White, I rely on informants like you to survive. I always knew you both would make fine employees." The grin was once more on full display as the pair stared into her hood.

"Employees?" Jayce asked far more sarcastically than necessary, but it seemed appropriate given the circumstance.

"That's right! You both are officially hired as my informants in the Thieves Guild! Don't thank me now just wait until you take advantage of the benefits, the opportunities, the free health care!" Argo's arms went wide as she wrapped them around the duo once more.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Jayce cried hanging his head.

"Don't fret. As official employees of Argo the Rat's information brokering services you are entitled to heavy discounts. I of course will combine these with our close friendship discount." Jemza couldn't hold back her laughter any longer listening to Argo happily discuss the business arrangements. Jayce continued to lament having anything to do with Argo.

"I'd like to resign please!" He felt Argo lean closer towards him as he complained.

"How bout a freebie on the house? Wanna know what Miss White's measurements are?" A dramatic wink from Argo finished her offer and Jemza's laughter died out instantly.

"Hey! That's not funny, you don't have that info!" Jemza looked far more nervous than she should if she was confident Argo didn't know.

"Is that so? 36…" Jemza pulled Argo violently wrapping her arms around the hood.

"Argo stop!" Jayce could only watch as Jemza dragged her away, the rat continuing to try and speak through her covered mouth. Both her arms flailed wildly as the two fought against one another. He looked up at the sky sighing deeply.

"Worst adventure ever."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

It was well into the afternoon when Jayce and Jemza finally neared the Southern exit of Urbus. Argo had expressed her desire to eat together and socialize. What neither of them had planned for was two hours of listening to Argo embellish her adventures of writing the guide for the second floor. Mercifully, the pain eventually ended when Argo announced she had other matters to attend to.

The moment they passed through the Safe Zone of Urbus onto the path leading down the mountain and message window appeared. The first portion of the Thieves Guild quest was complete and they were awarded a hefty amount of experience and col. Enough to push them both to level 11. They both stopped to distribute their stat points and discuss the excitement about how they would get their next skill slot in one more level. For now they looked at the single quest listed in their log. The Rose's Thorns.

The late afternoon sun spread across the savannah with only a few scarce clouds dotting the sky. After the last few rain showers in Urbus it was a nice change to have such perfect travelling weather. More than once they were able to spot a few of the bull creatures roaming the open fields a good distance away. It felt like forever ago that they had survived the stampede that nearly claimed their lives. So little time had passed since then, but so much had changed.

"Listen, do you have any other clothes by chance?" They were already nearing the hour mark from when they left Urbus. Marome wouldn't be much further so it seemed like the right time for Jayce to bring up his thoughts about what was ahead. Jemza turned her head towards him and nodded.

"Yeah, you mean besides the stuff under my armor? I have a few things. Strange right? It's not like we sweat or have to do laundry, but I have changes of clothes. I feel dirty if I don't wear a different set."

"No, not strange at all. I have a few as well which is good for what I'm thinking. Until we know what we're dealing with we should change. Remove your armor and weapons and change into something more casual. All the NPC's surrounding this guild have been very intelligent. Almost like some advanced form of artificial intelligence. There's a good chance two people in all black, sporting weapons, and looking like Thieves Guild members will scare this guy away."

"You think this quest could be that in depth? Is it even possible for the game to perform that kind of realistic scenario?"

"Did you think a month ago people could get trapped inside a video game?" Jemza held her hands up in defeat.

"Fair point, I understand. Disguising ourselves might not be a bad idea. There's nothing between here and Marome though." She glanced around seeing nothing but open savannah.

"Roads clear and this is all open land so no one can sneak up on us. Just change here quickly." There were absolutely no ulterior motives when he said it, but Jemza's eyes instantly narrowed.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" So much sarcasm in a single sentence shouldn't be possible, but the hand on her hip only added to the clear picture that she wasn't buying into what he said.

"I'm not going to look. Back to back we can both change quickly and move on." He turned so his back was to her and after a few seconds he heard a sigh before she moved behind him.

"We're outside the city; if you peek I'll gut you."

"Duly noted let's hurry." Jayce swiped his menu open and navigated to his inventory. He removed his armor, weapons, and outer clothing waiting for each piece to disappear from his body. Once he was down to his underwear he scrolled through the clothing he had finding a different pair of black pants and a dark green tunic for his top. The whole process only took a few moments and he looked down at himself pleased with the outcome.

"Alright, I'm done." He turned around after hearing her voice to see her wearing a deep red shirt that laced up to just below her neck. A black skirt fluttered in the breeze just above her knees. Her normal boots were replaced with what looked to be hiking boots.

"That's perfect Jemza. Sorry about the sudden request I just don't want to screw this up."

"I know, and it's a good idea. You really didn't peek huh?" Jayce put a hand over his heart and held his other up in front of her.

"I swear I didn't." He was being honest about it. Cheap thrills of stealing a look at her while she changed not only threatened his life, but also went against his respect for her. She smiled patting him on the shoulder as she walked by.

"Hmm. Cause I did." She kept walking south towards Marome leaving him standing with his mouth half open. He shook his head and caught up to her as they continued along the road.

"After this when we go back to Urbus we should also look into upgrading our weapons. We are still only using the base versions of them. We could find a smith and bump them up a few levels. We don't know what's ahead so we should be ready." Jemza listened to him nodding and chuckled lightly as he finished.

"You are really thinking hard about all this aren't you? I'm impressed."

"I just don't want any surprises."

Marome was a small village, as they had anticipated. There didn't even seem to be a smith on site. The buildings that comprised the village were all single story dwellings. The only buildings that were slightly larger looked to be stables or housing for animals. The NPC's who lived in this town all moved about working on various tasks. Some pinned clothing or large sheets to a clothesline to dry while others chopped wood or pushed carts of supplies.

"Afternoon folks." A man pushing a wheelbarrow full of a variety of plants tipped his hat as Jayce and Jemza came close.

"Afternoon sir. Sorry, but what are those?" Jayce looked down into the wheelbarrow and the man set it down taking a few of the plants out and holding them up.

"There's a few herbs and plants that grow outside of town. They work well in poultices and medicine in Urbus so we send them up north." Jayce's eyes seemed to sparkle looking at the plants the man held.

"I don't suppose I could buy some off of you could I?" The man set the plants back into the wheelbarrow laughing.

"Ah, so you're an alchemist eh? Sure, what are you looking for exactly?"

"Great, anything that helps with illnesses, injuries, or mental conditions would be fantastic." Jayce glanced back at Jemza excitedly who put on a smile for his sake. She had no idea what they were talking about, but if he was happy then whatever.

"Here, these and these should work for you. Be careful with the red ones, if you crush them too fast they won't powder properly." A trade window winked into view with a cost associated to the items being offered. Jayce quickly accepted the trade seeing that the cost was less than what the vendor offered in Urbus.

"Thank you very much I appreciate it." The man smiled tipping his hat once more.

"My pleasure, Marome is small, but there's a certain charm to our small home. I assume you and your wife are passing through, but consider staying a bit. We do enjoy visitors and not many come by due to our size." Jemza laughed and opened her mouth, but Jayce quickly stepped in to interrupt her.

"We will. A good friend of ours lives here these days I believe. His name is Kurt Wagner and we were hoping to catch him before we moved on." Jemza took a step back watching curiously as Jayce continued to take the lead.

"Oh sure I know Kurt. He lives just south of the butcher. Quite literally across the street from him. I believe he went out into the fields this morning though and he might not be back until later tonight or possibly tomorrow."

"Then I suppose we might just be staying in Marome after all. We would hate to have come all this way and not say hello." Jayce chuckled and the man nodded.

"We don't have a proper inn, but speak to Daisy. She's just over there. She'll set you up for the night. Let her know Roy sent you." He pointed to one of the homes a short distance away.

"We will. Thank you for the plants and the information it was helpful. Safe travels." Jayce shook the man's hand and watched as he continued on towards the north out of town.

"You're good at this aren't you?" Jemza leaned against his shoulder looking at the town.

"This kind of stuff is easier than what I'm used to. We're hunting another NPC which will have programmed actions. It's all part of the story and quest so it's a bit more relaxing. The real challenge is when your target is another player." She looked up at him oddly as he explained.

"Hunting other players?" Jayce shook his head quickly.

"Not here in SAO. In other non VRMMO games I would love to fight other players. I had wanted to experience that here when the game first released, but things are different now. Killing a player would mean killing them in real life. It's no different than murder so it's important everyone understands that and continues to work together however they can." Jayce corrected his explanation to her. The desire to fight other players had long been forgotten now that the game had become their prison.

"I see, and apparently I'm your wife now?" She continued to look at him from the corner of her eye and he laughed nervously.

"It's a better story than a man and woman travelling together looking for someone in a small town. Anything that makes us seem less suspicious." She thought over his reasoning for a minute before nodding.

"I understand, I can play the part. I must say that your handling of this so far has been very interesting. You know how to act and what to say so that you come off as a plain traveler. I'm really glad you're here with me."

"Well, it only gets tougher now. If Kurt doesn't come back tonight then I suggest we do some looking around. You still have your lock picks from Rose right? If we're lucky his home won't require much skill since neither of us has Lock Picking and we can get in."

"I still have them. Alright, let's go find Daisy and see about where we'll be staying tonight then." Jemza pushed herself off his shoulder and they both began walking towards the home Roy had pointed them to earlier.

Fifteen minutes later the pair stood in a small room the woman had shown them to. It was attached to her own house which, while not tall, had a bit more space than some of the other homes lengthwise. A single table and chairs sat in one corner of the room along with a dresser. A single decent sized bed was tucked into the far corner of the room, an open window next to it looking out towards the savannah. The two stood in silence for a good while looking at the single bed in the room.

"She said this was all there was?" Jemza asked after the silence became too much.

"Yeah, they don't have an inn so…" Jayce trailed off not really sure how else to answer.

"So, we will be staying in the same room then? With only one bed and nothing else?" She was asking the questions distantly almost like she wasn't fully aware she was speaking.

"That seems to be the current predicament, yes."

"I see…well, I guess it can't be helped. I don't have a problem with it." Jayce looked at her in surprise. He expected her to be upset about the situation, but that didn't seem to be the case at all.

"Are you sure? I can always figure something out so you don't have to worry."

"I'm not worried. Not entirely sure why, but I'm not. We'll make it work." She stepped into the room running her hand over the back of one of the chairs near the table.

"We have a lot to do tonight anyway so it may not even be as big an issue as we think." If they were going to try to break into Kurt's home it would have to be done at night. For all they knew this room might not even be used.

"Let's go over the plan for tonight and get ready to that. We can deal with sleeping arrangements later." Jemza pulled the chair back and brushed her skirt down under her legs as she sat down. Jayce nodded and closed the door behind him moving over to the other chair across from her.

"Alright, sounds good. Let's figure this out."


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

When night fell over Marome village, a quietness accompanied it that showed just how small the village was. The residents had long retired to their homes for the night, and unlike other towns that had at least some form of nightlife, Marome slept. There was no tavern or inn where people would gather after a day's work, nor were there any restaurants or shops to visit. The only sounds were the occasional rustle of leaves on nearby trees or the sound of animals in their pens.

Jemza lifted her body and slid it through the open window of their room gracefully landing lightly outside. She adjusted the Thieves Guild mask covering her nose and mouth before looking back towards the window and waving a hand. Jayce crept out onto the sill and stepped down until he was crouched next to her. They shifted along the wall of the home until they came to the corner. Jayce looked back at her and motioned for her to follow before he quickly slipped across the street to the next house.

"Butcher's house is three more down. Then we cross to the house and find a way in." Jayce whispered everything leaning close towards Jemza's ear once she made it across the street as well. She nodded once letting him know she understood and was ready. Back in their usual outfits they both felt comfortable and safer. She followed his cloak as he quickly dashed around the building and began crossing past the houses lining this side of the street.

Just as they reached the third building Jayce spun grabbing her and shoved her around the corner of the building. He pressed himself against her keeping his face towards the back of the building where they had been. A door opened and a dog bounded outside with a woman slowly following behind. She yawned while watching the dog sniff around through the grass. Jayce's heart pounded in his chest fearing that the dog would sniff them out and come running. He wasn't afraid of injury, but that they would be caught and forced to explain themselves. It could ruin everything this early into the mission.

"It's ok." Jemza pressed her palm against his breastplate where his heart was. He didn't dare take his eyes off the animal still sniffing around, but he nodded quickly to show Jemza he had heard her. After the longest two minutes he could remember the dog scampered back towards the woman happily and they both disappeared into the house.

"Sorry for shoving you." He whispered stepping out from around the corner looking ahead to where they needed to go.

"No, you saved us. Good catch." She tapped his shoulder from behind so he knew she was ready and they both proceeded forward across the rear of the house. After they reached the third house Jayce pointed towards the next one and made a chopping motion with his hand. That had to be the butcher's house. That meant across the street with Kurt's. Jayce slid along the wall listening intently on everything around him in case he needed to react. Once he reached the front of the building he gave Jemza one last look before sprinting across the street.

The house didn't look much different than any of the others in town. A single story house with a door set into the wall closest to the road. A few closed windows were cut into the walls around the home with very few other discernible features. Jemza joined him as he stepped quietly around the side of the house. He peered around the corner at the back of the house seeing two more closed windows. Jayce pointed to one of the windows and Jemza pulled her dagger from her waist.

"We don't know if he's in there. Your weapon is better for tight areas like this so you'll have to go first. I'll be right behind you, but if he's in there you'll have to make the first move." Jayce shifted a few vials on his belt around and adjusted his hood. Jemza grabbed one of the picks from her kit holding it in her left hand. She pressed the blade of her dagger against one of the vials on Jayce's belt until it broke spilling the contents onto her dagger. He reached over sliding three vials of purple liquid onto her belt.

"See you in there." Jemza whispered and crawled away until she was under the window. She pushed herself up into a low crouch and reached her left arm up until she could slip the lock pick into the space between the wall and the window. She placed the handle of the dagger in her mouth so she could use her right hand to complete the lockpicking interface and after a second or two a quiet click let her know it was open. She placed the picks on her belt and dropped the dagger into her hand. As slowly as she could the window slid upwards and open revealing a darkened room inside.

Jayce watched as she lifted herself up onto the frame of the window and slinked in nimbly. The moment she disappeared into the house he moved up drawing his sword from the sheath. He looked around one last time to make sure no one was around and then pulled himself up and into the home behind her. He slid forward onto a countertop in what looked like the kitchen. Jemza was already crouched next to an archway that led into another room ahead. He carefully set his feet on the floor and came up behind her.

Once she felt Jayce behind her, Jemza slipped into the next room letting her eyes scan what had to be the front living area. A door up ahead most likely led out to the street, but a doorway off to the left led to a third darkened room. A couch and table were set against one of the walls nearby as well as a few paintings and tapestries. She kept to the wall until reaching the next doorway, looking back until Jayce caught up. He touched the small of her back once he got to her position and she stood slipping the dagger back into the sheath.

"We're clear." She had could already see that the bedroom was empty and no further doorways existed. Jayce stood as well taking a good look at the home.

"Not a lot here. I'll check this and the kitchen. Can you see what's in there?" Jayce pointed at the bedroom and Jemza nodded heading into the room. A few scattered papers on the table in the living room didn't yield anything useful. The home was sparse and devoid of almost anything useful. The kitchen area also seemed to only hold the bare essentials necessary for cooking.

"Jayce, come here." He passed back through the living room hearing Jemza call out and joined here in the bedroom. Besides the bed, a small trunk and desk sat side by side along one of the walls. Jemza was seated in the chair at the desk flipping through a folder and looked up at him as he entered.

"What do you have?"

"Here, look at this and tell me what you think." She handed a few pieces of paper over to him and he began to scan over the contents.

"The Blackhoods? That's written in a lot of places on these. A few of these are just correspondences to them, but this one has a name on it." Jayce looked down at Jemza who nodded.

"Yeah, and that name is familiar right?" Jayce looked back down at the paper and took a deep breath.

"Demeter Wright, yeah that's the place we broke into. This is a requisition form from Kurt on behalf of the Blackhoods. What I don't like is that the request is for three heads. Rose said Demeter was in the slaving business right? That must be what they call them…heads. These Blackhoods were looking to purchase slaves from Demeter." Jayce handed the paper back to Jemza who looked it over.

"There's this one too. The name it's addressed to is just a letter. It's also got a location written in it. It's for V in a town called Rovia." Jemza held the paper to Jayce.

"Rovia? That's nowhere I've heard of. Don't think it's on the first floor either. Not sure what any of it…"

"Jayce!" Jemza cut him off as she flipped through what looked to be a journal.

"What is it?" He moved behind her so he could read over her shoulder. She had the journal opened to one page with scrawled handwriting covering the pages.

"I'm close to finding the location. Not much longer and I will silence the last voice necessary for our rise. Somewhere in Urbus is where I will find her, and when I do I will make her scream. This time there will be no one who can save her from me. It's only a matter of time." Jemza voiced the words that they both were reading. They both shivered as she finished reading the entry.

"That's Rose. That has to be who he's referring to." Jemza turned the page silently agreeing with his opinion.

"You weren't kidding. This is dark stuff in here. We gotta find him before he does anything to her." Jemza shut the journal looking up over the shoulder at Jayce.

"Looks like he doesn't know where she is yet so we have time. We'll stay in town tonight and wait for him to come back. Then we can discuss this with him in person." Jemza looked back down at the journal she had set on the desk and glared.

"And then we kill him." Her hand reflexively squeezed into a fist.

"Yeah, then we kill him. Come on let's get out of…" Jayce was about to help her out of the chair as a clicking sound came from the living room, the front door opening slowly.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

"Are you sure about this? Wasting our time is not something I recommend." The first of two men entered the house while glancing back over his shoulder.

"Completely. She's there and has been for some time now." The second man that entered shut the door behind him quietly. The first who had entered removed a hooded cloak and tossed it onto the couch. A long blade swung freely on his hip as he turned towards the second man.

"If you're right then you'll be rich, but if you're wrong…well…let's hope you're not wrong." The man with the sword threatened.

"She's there Kurt I swear it."

Jayce and Jemza glanced at each other as they pressed their backs against the wall on either side of the doorway. Her hand gripped the handle of the poisoned dagger tightly while Jayce carefully slid his sword out of the scabbard. There was a single window leading outside, but opening it and getting out would almost assuredly cause noise. The only doorway was the one leading into the living area where the two men now conversed. In essence, they were trapped.

"I've been looking for her for quite some time now. I knew she would cause trouble. I wanted to kill her back then, and now look where we are. Never underestimate a woman scorned Artemis. It always comes back to bite you." Kurt dropped onto the couch kicking his boots up onto the coffee table.

"She hasn't been idle either. Her group has been hitting your contacts regularly. They broke into the Wright estate just the other night. She's getting bolder by the minute."

"She lacks the strength to oppose us directly so she sends her goons out to create minor problems. I'll pay her a visit and correct her attitude." Jayce shook his head slowly as Jemza bit down hard fighting the urge to dive through the doorway. He didn't blame her, but the dark red cursor above both men's heads gave him pause. These were dangerous opponents for their current level. Two on one they could potentially prevail, but the odds were even and there would be a good chance they would die.

"You're not going to kill her?" The other man named Artemis put a foot up on the table and leaned against his knee.

"Of course I'm going to kill her, but why make it that simple? That wouldn't send the proper message to people like her. I have so much more planned for her. I want to enjoy every moment of it." Kurt chuckled wickedly running a finger over the pommel of his sword.

"Once you confirm my info is sound, when can I expect payment?" Artemis pushed off the table standing up straight.

"I'll go tomorrow evening. If everything checks out then you'll have it the next morning. It will be delivered in the same way you're familiar with."

"I understand, I'll wait for you there. Good night." Artemis bowed and turned to leave, but Kurt quickly sat straight waving a hand.

"Hey! At least stay and have a drink with me before you leave. We have much to celebrate so no need to rush out so quickly. Come, I have glasses in the kitchen." Kurt quickly stood and ushered Artemis to follow him into the only other room in this house. They disappeared into the doorway and Jayce shifted across from where he stood moving next to Jemza.

"We need to go, now." Jayce kept his voice as low as possible taking her wrist in his hand.

"Go? We can't go now. Did you hear them? He's going to kill Rose." She yanked her arm back, breaking his grasp.

"Tomorrow is what he said. We aren't in a position to do anything about it right now. We are at a disadvantage in here. You saw their cursors right? We attack them now and we will die." He didn't know how much time they had, but this might be the only opportunity to sneak out the window.

"Then we could never take them on and we should just let Rose die? Is that what you are saying?" Desperation was creeping into her voice and her eyes showed the same. This was exactly what Jayce had been worried about. It took a different level of discipline and patience for this line of work and if Jemza couldn't manage everything would fall apart.

"We create a situation for our own advantage. This is not that situation. We got what we needed for now and the plan has been compromised. We need to get out of here, regroup, and figure out our next step."

"Did you open that window?"

"No, why?" Jayce could hear the two men talking from the kitchen and realized that he had not closed the window behind him when they first entered the house. He looked back at Jemza pleading for her to listen.

"We won't let her die. Please, just trust me." Something clicked into place for her and her grip on the dagger loosened. With a nod she turned and quickly moved towards the window. She pushed up on the pane slowly lifting it to allow them an exit.

"I don't think I left that open. One sec I'll be right back." Kurt's voice was a bit louder now. He was coming towards them as Jemza, using her high agility stat, slipped through the open window making no sound at all. Her hand popped back through the window and Jayce took it carefully passing through the threshold as well until he was outside. Just as he hit the ground Jemza reached up and returned the window back to how it was before they left. She dropped to the grass as Kurt entered the room and looked around suspiciously.

"Everything alright?" Artemis's voice called from across the house. Kurt stood in front of the window looking out towards the savannah. After a few moments of looking he turned away from the window and walked away.

"Yeah, I'm just losing my mind I guess. Shut that window in there will you?" Jemza, who was pressed against the house directly below the window holding her breath, finally let the air out and breathed. Jayce grabbed her hand and pulled her up. He led her past a few houses until they reached the edge of town. A few dozen yards away from the nearest house he found an overgrown section of savannah with grass taller than their height.

"Here, catch your breath we're good." Jayce let her hand go and took a few deep breaths himself. Jemza looked back towards the town still worried that they might be followed.

"They didn't see us?" She fell to a knee putting a hand over her chest. The last fifteen minutes or so had been terrifying, but at the same time she couldn't deny the excitement that accompanied it.

"No, we got lucky. I almost cost us everything leaving that window open. That was stupid."

"I almost jumped out there and attacked when he was talking about Rose. If you weren't there I would have done something far more stupid. How do you ignore your emotions like that?" Jayce forced a grim smile and shrugged in response.

"I don't know, it just gets easier the more you do it I guess. I've never been in a situation like this though. This is a VRMMO so it's a lot more lifelike than other games I've played."

"So, how then? You were able to calmly and rationally assess the situation and make the intelligent call. To me they were part of the quest, placed there for us to fight. I didn't even take into consideration just how high a level they were." She fell back onto her rear bringing her knees up to her chest.

"This type of work relies on picking your targets. If there's even the smallest of doubts then you avoid the confrontation. Sometimes that means letting them get away for now. We still have time." He tried to explain how his thought process worked, but wasn't sure if she could see past the disappointment of letting Kurt go for now.

"We still need more information from him. He works with or for someone else. Maybe a larger group."

"The bigger problem is that Artemis guy. He will be expecting payment in two days. It doesn't matter if we get answers from Kurt if Artemis doesn't receive his payment. They'll know that something is going on and this will get a lot more complicated." Jemza seemed to sink even lower hearing what Jayce said.

"I didn't think of that. What do we do?"

"There's only one thing we can do. There's another obstacle in the way now. Artemis creates unknown variables that we can't account for. So, we remove the obstacle." Jemza looked up at him raising her eyebrows.

"Kill him?" Jayce nodded in response.

"Look out through there. We can still see the street from here. We wait until Artemis leaves and we follow him. If we're lucky he leaves town and we ambush him. Then we deal with Kurt. It ties off the most loose ends and buys us more time." Jemza followed the direction he pointed and although it was a bit far she could see the front door of Kurt's house.

"What about his level?" The plan was sound, but his cursor still placed him well above their level. The risk was still great.

"We agreed to not look back right? We'll do this and we'll make it." Jemza laid down on her back staring up at the stars through the grass lacing her hands behind her head.

"You sound confident." Jayce sat beside her and looked up at the same stars.

"There's people fighting in the dungeon that leads to the boss of this floor. Maybe not right this moment, but there will be. They are doing it to save everyone in this game and that's a level of courage that I don't think I will ever match. Some of those guys are probably just kids, but when this is all over it will be them who truly saved our lives. I'll never be that kind of person. I don't have the strength to save everyone even if I wanted to. So, I decided to focus on saving one person. I'm confident I can manage it if it's just one person." He kept staring up at the stars, the silence of the savannah surrounding them.

"Sounds romantic, who's the lucky person?" Jemza turned towards him grinning.

"Just some girl." Jayce made it a point to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Argo?" Jayce coughed shaking his head back and forth in response to her question.

"I get the feeling Argo can take care of herself a lot more than her appearance shows." Jayce turned so he could watch the street where Kurt's house was.

"It's still a tall order to take on the responsibility of trying to save someone. Maybe she doesn't want to be saved." The pair didn't look at each other, but kept their eyes focused on the town ahead.

"Maybe she's been waiting to be saved for so long that she no longer thinks she ever will be." Her focus broke and she turned her head towards him watching as he continued to wait for Artemis.

"A girl like that would be hard to deal with. She's probably stubborn from being on her own for so long. Chances are she wouldn't know how to open up to someone like you. There might be a fear of how you would react. Then again I don't know if you'd even notice any of that because she probably hides it really well." Now Jayce did turn and meet her eyes as she spoke.

"What would I have to do to show her that she could open up?"

"I don't know. Maybe something impulsive to show her how you feel? Words only go so far."

"That's risky, she tends to be violent." Jayce laughed quietly as Jemza reached up to her face and pulled her mask down.

"Then you need to decide if she's worth the risk." This was a moment that Jayce didn't want to screw up. Things between them lately had been playfully awkward at best, but this was different. He felt like this might be the first step towards breaking down some of the walls she had placed. The only other real concern was that the game itself worked against them. If there was a way around it neither Jemza nor he knew about it. She had mentioned that Rose could help, but who knew what that meant and if it was true?

"She is." He knew what would happen, but didn't care. An opportunity like this didn't happen all the time and maybe she needed something tangible to know how he felt. Even if the game fought back at least she would know he was serious. She would know that he was willing to take that risk even if it meant enduring another blow from the Anti-Harassment System. He pulled his own mask down, and grabbed the back of her head pulling her forward.

The game would register instantly that physical contact with another player not of a combat sort had been initiated. A warning would appear in front of Jemza requesting her consent to directly teleport Jayce to the Black Iron Palace prison. She could press the button or verbally accept and he would disappear. If she did nothing then the system would forcibly push him away much like last time. He was confident she wouldn't accept the command, but prepared for the violent shove the system would give him.

The two stared, wide eyed at each other in shock. Neither one dared to move after the first few breaths went by. No window appeared in front of Jemza's vision and the energy that was used to shove Jayce away last time never came. Why had the system failed to activate this time? What was different about now compared to before? Neither Jayce nor Jemza could understand what had just happened. Both knew what should happen, and yet amidst the silence of the savannah the system allowed it. Jemza couldn't stop a tear from falling down her cheek as she threw her arms around his neck pressing her mouth harder against his.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Confusion and questions were all Jayce could think about. Why was the Anti-Harassment System failing to activate? Was it a failure, or had something changed in the last twenty four hours between them? If something had changed that influenced how the system interacted then clearly this was an intentional part of SAO. It made sense that two willing parties would be allowed physical contact, but he had questioned it up until now. The Anti-Harassment System had been strict so he had begun to think SAO meant to restrict romantic relationships. If the developer meant to trap them here from the beginning then they would have to know that emotional attachments would eventually occur.

Clearly a change had happened and the system recognized that the feelings were mutual. Perhaps some sort of mental or emotional monitoring was in place within the Nerve Gear? The developers must have gone through painstaking efforts to ensure that players were protected from each other unless it was absolutely consensual. Nonetheless, it was still confusing trying to understand how the system worked. Were there stages that unlocked as a relationship progressed? If so, how did the game know when to allow certain actions between two players? The biggest question, however, was how did the developers manage to program a kiss to be like this?

Jemza's fingers dug into the back of Jayce's head. It was as if she were desperate to make sure he didn't slip out of her grasp. Like any moment he might be pulled away and lost forever. With each quick breath she took it was accompanied with a quiet whimper and Jayce could see a shimmer on her cheeks where her tears continued to fall. It broke his heart feeling her shudder every now and again against his body. Something inside her had broken open and whether her tears were from sadness of relief he couldn't say. She tilted her head back slightly away from his face.

"I've never kissed someone before." She was breathing harder than normal and Jayce rested the palm of his hand on her cheek wiping away some of the tears. He had dated a small number of girls in his life, but nothing had been serious. Or rather, none had been long term enough to feel serious. Adjusting to life in Japan after moving from America had been stressful enough that dating had been put on hold. It still made his head spin trying to understand how a woman like Jemza had never had a boyfriend.

"Was it bad?" With limited experience in this field Jayce had no confidence in anything of this sort. Everyone was different and the last thing he wanted was for Jemza to be hurt or uncomfortable. She blinked slowly a few times, a shy smile spreading over her lips.

"No, I liked it. Sorry if I um…I've never done that before so I…" Jayce shook his head to stop her from having to continue apologizing. He already knew where she was going with it and it was far from something she needed to be sorry for. If she had never had a boyfriend before then he expected their kiss to be short. Instead, the moment his lips touched hers she responded immediately, and with reckless abandon. Her tongue found his within seconds and he silently thanked the programmers of SAO for their hard work.

"That's never something you need to apologize for." She lowered her head, putting her forehead on his chest and they lay side by side in the grass.

"You see this in movies right? Two people gradually get closer and closer over the course of whatever the plot of the movie is. Then, at the end they finally kiss under the stars or some other romantic atmosphere and they live happily ever after." Her hands moved around his back pulling his breastplate against her.

"Games and movies aren't so different. A lot of role-playing games also have that same kind of story." She pulled harder on him like what he said had scared her.

"Yeah, but both movies and games have an end. Then, it's all over." Jayce closed his eyes running a hand through her hair. Now, he understood what was going through her head. If they survived this game then at some point they would be free. It would take years most likely, but eventually that time would come and these bodies they met each other in would end. This world and all their experiences that made them fall in love would be gone, and they would never return. This was why she was so desperate in the way she kissed him. Why the way she now buried her face against him felt like it would be the last time.

"I'm not going anywhere." He kept stroking her hair softly trying to ease her fears.

"But…when the last floor is cleared…"

"I'm not…" He pulled her face up so he could look her in the eyes before continuing. "going anywhere." She swallowed before nodding once and pressing her mouth against his again. Like before, she wasted no time opening her mouth, sliding her tongue into his. Her leg lifted wrapping around his hip as she used all her limbs to pull him against her.

"Jemza…" He could barely find the opportunity to speak and to be honest he was having a hard time thinking straight given the situation.

"It's alright. Do whatever you want." Frail shreds of self control were about all that was left for him. Somewhere in the distant recesses of his mind a nagging voice kept trying to tell him something important. Whatever it was, the taste of Jemza and his growing awareness of her body was the only thing he could focus on.

"Hang on, there's…" He tried to break off to clear his head, but she renewed her efforts pulling him with all her strength so that he rolled on top of her. Both her legs wrapped around his waist.

"No, don't stop." That voice that Jayce felt far in the back of his mind disappeared the moment Jemza pressed her hips against his. What could possibly be more important than the woman below him right now? He opened his eyes glancing up and he pushed himself up above her body in shock.

"He's coming out!" Jayce's eyes were wide and the voice in his head that had just disappeared came back in a cacophony of noise. Jemza grinned wickedly below him running her hands down his chest.

"Good, I want him to come out." She lifted her head kissing his neck, her hands moving down to his waist. Jayce broke free from his panic and grabbed her head twisting it towards the direction he was looking.

"Not that! Artemis is coming out!" The lust in her eyes slowly faded as she also returned to her senses. Sure enough the man that had met with Kurt earlier was walking down the road towards them.

"Son of a…"

"Stay down!" Jayce hissed, interrupting her. He slowly rolled off her until he was lying on his stomach. He prayed that the tall grass would be enough to keep them hidden.

"Let him pass and then get him from behind?" Jayce nodded in response to her question. He felt stupid for forgetting about the entire reason why they were here. If he hadn't seen Artemis when he did the man might have gotten the jump on them and with the color of his cursor they would be dead.

"The poison on your dagger still there?" Jayce glanced down at the blade on her hip and she pulled it free. A thin sheen of black liquid still clung to the blade as she twisted it in the moonlight.

"Looks good, yeah."

"We don't have access to status effect poisons or anything too great, but that will inflict a DoT on him. Apply it and then kite him back. Let the poison do some of the work." Jayce explained the plan to his partner and she nodded in understanding. In the world of MMO games a common tactic when facing difficult enemies was to chip away at their health from a distance. Maintaining that distance was critical to the plan while still chipping away at the health bar. This was a strategy called "kiting."

Since SAO did not have magic or bows and arrows it was far more difficult to perform, but with Jayce's poison it was possible. A DoT, or damage over time, was a way of inflicting damage repeatedly of a specific length of time. For instance, the poison on Jemza's blade would cause damage to whoever her dagger hit every second for a total of ten seconds. The damage was fairly low, but against a higher level opponent they would need every edge they could find.

"Watch your meter and stay low." Jayce had to whisper as Artemis was closing in on their position near the road. His own Hiding meter hovered around the 90 mark, but it would drop a point or two as Artemis got closer.

"I'm sorry, I got carried away before." Jayce turned towards her shaking his head.

"I really wouldn't mind if you got carried away like that more often. Just saying." He winked and she blushed slightly lowering herself as tight against the ground as she could.

"I'll keep that in mind." He heard her whisper in response and held back a laugh. His meter dipped down into the high 70s now that Artemis was about to walk past them. The two held their breath in unison as the man walked along the road a hand on the pommel of his sword. The tall grass they were concealed within would provide a good amount of cover, but given his level and whatever skills he possessed it might amount to nothing.

The meter stopped dropping at 67 once he was officially past their location. Slowly, the meter ticked back up to 70 and Jayce looked back at Jemza and nodded. He pulled his mask back up over his nose and mouth while she did the same. Slowly, he slid the blade of this sword out of the scabbard and readied his arms to push himself up. Their initial strike had to be as precise as possible. Once he was aware of them it would become a dangerous situation where one wrong move could end their lives.

Together, they both slowly rose within the shadows of the tall grass. Artemis was a short distance away continuing to walk towards whatever destination he had. Taking great care to not rush any of their movements, Jayce and Jemza slinked through the grass until they reached the edge of the road. He put his fist up and then pointed at Artemis. With unrivaled speed, Jemza dashed past him, her dagger spinning in her fingers. Now, they would be tested on all fronts. Their individual skill as players, their determination to save Rose, and their bond as a couple. All three would have to prove stronger than the level difference between them and their opponent.

"Yaaaah!" Jemza's voice cried out in the silence of the night as she twirled through the air, her dagger leading the way.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

The Hiding meter instantly dropped into the twenties the moment Jemza ran forward. Given that Artemis was walking out in the open and the level difference it made sense that the penalties would be stiff. It didn't change the plan at all as far as she was concerned. For now, they still had the element of surprise and could use that to their advantage. Perhaps they could keep Artemis off balance enough to chip away at his health safely.

Jemza rotated once in the air, reversing her grip on the dagger in her hand. The blade began to glow brightly as she set the weapon into the initial placement for Puncture, a sword skill she had unlocked recently in the dagger skill. Following Jayce's plan meant that this skill would only help to lead them to victory. The poison on her dagger would do a minor bit of damage repeatedly over time, which worked well with Puncture. The sword skill, if successful, had a secondary effect in that it would apply a bleeding effect to the enemy. Much like the poison on her dagger it was a low amount of damage, but every point mattered.

Artemis looked over his shoulder as the blade of Jemza's dagger erupted in a blinding flash of colors rocketing her towards his back. His eyes widened seeing her now and his hand reflexively moved towards the handle of his sword. Dust kicked up violently from Artemis's movements as Jayce ran to catch up to his partner. The echoing sound of metal meeting metal called out through the night and Jayce skidded to a stop, his mouth hanging open. A short distance ahead, Jemza pressed her dagger against the blade of Artemis's sword. He held the blade in both hands over his shoulder so that the blade reached down behind him intercepting her dagger cleanly.

"Not good." Jayce voiced his concerns while running forward again. Artemis pulled his sword up shoving Jemza back a few steps while spinning to face her.

"You dare to try and rob me? Do you even know who I am?" Artemis looked between Jemza and Jayce as he challenged them both.

"We know enough." Jemza answered bringing her dagger back into a normal grip. Artemis's eyes narrowed as she spoke lifting the sword high above his head into a ready stance.

"Is that so? Of course…you must be Rose's thugs. She's getting desperate these days." Artemis began to circle keeping his blade ready to swing at any moment. There was no fear in his voice as he spoke to them. Even outnumbered he sounded confident that he could not lose. Jayce watched him carefully as they continued to circle one another. He focused on the man's legs seeing the smallest of twitches every so often.

"Kurt made you drink quite a bit didn't he?" Jayce smiled under the facemask and Artemis growled angrily in response.

"You're both dead."

"We'll see about that. We have a chance, he's drunk." Jayce moved forward rolling his Anneal Blade around so the blade rested along his left arm, the tip stretching towards Artemis. Jemza fell in behind him using his body to obscure her own body from the man's vision.

Jayce moved the blade of his sword back activating the sword skill Slant and let the game's system take over his movements. The Anneal Blade glowed brightly pulling his body forward into the predetermined motions of the skill. Artemis slashed his sword in a wide arc catching Jayce's sword, slapping it aside harmlessly. Jemza used one hand to vault herself over Jayce's shoulder. She landed between him and Artemis driving her dagger forward towards the man's stomach. He twisted leaning back so the dagger caught only air before righting himself and swinging the sword down towards Jemza's head.

"Roll!" Jayce yelled out activating another sword skill, Horizontal to parry Artemis's strike before it could hit his partner. At the same time Jemza tucked herself into a ball rolling forward past the man until she was behind him. The speed that this man had while wielding a sword of this size was impressive. He spun in circles weaving the blade up and down to parry both Jayce and Jemza's attacks. Every swing or stab they made was met with his weapon and pushed aside harmlessly. The plan had been to slowly chip away at his health and keep distance, but they weren't even able to land a single hit on him yet.

"Amateurs!" A wide slash forced Jayce back a few steps to avoid being cleaved in two. He used the momentum to spin towards Jemza and stepped forward inside her guard. Her eyes bulged open as his knee planted itself firmly in her gut. While the game eliminated pain, there were other effects present in the game to make combat more intense and realistic. Mental signals could be sent to create the sensation of a loss of breath. While the real body breathed and physically was unaffected, the user's virtual body could feel like the wind had been taken out of its lungs. Such was the case now for Jemza as she stumbled backwards gasping for air, coughing violently.

"Rah!" Jayce roared forward gripping his sword in both hands, chopping it down at Artemis's back. With nothing less than a glance over his shoulder he sidestepped the blow and drove the pommel of his sword into Jayce's temple. Lights blinked around his vision and a symbol appeared next to his health bar. He dropped to his knees in fear recognizing the most dangerous effect he could suffer. Stun.

"Give Rose our regards when you meet her." Artemis spun the sword and drove it down towards Jayce who was powerless to move. Before it could connect he winced and stumbled slightly spinning furiously on Jemza who stood unsteadily nearby. A bright red line glowed on the man's back near his shoulder where her dagger found purchase. His health bar that had become visible once they engaged him ticked down roughly ten percent and blinked rapidly indicating the poison damage still at work.

"And you give Kurt our regards when you meet him." Jemza forced her body forward as the initial shock and distress from his attack slowly wore off. The movements and speed that accompanied Artemis showed heavily just how different their levels were. Jemza had focused heavily on her agility stat and still struggled to keep up with his attacks. Even the way he moved his feet and body was agile and fluid. She brought her dagger high, tangling together with his sword and understood now just how dangerous he was.

"This is familiar." Jemza couldn't react fast enough as the man slammed his forehead into hers. Black spots appeared in her vision as she spread her legs wide to keep herself steady. Nearby Jayce tried to force himself back to his feet, but the Stun effect kept him grounded.

"This is the second time a woman will have to watch her partner die. When will you people ever learn?" Artemis dashed forward letting Jemza's dagger slice across his shoulder for minimal damage, but in return plunged his sword through her stomach. She opened her mouth to cry out, but it was wordless as she slumped against the man. He retracted the sword and stepped back letting her fall face down onto the ground, her health bar continuing to drop rapidly. Jayce stared in disbelief as she lay on the ground motionless.

"Jemza…" His body refused to move, the Stun effect blinking rapidly next to his health meter. Below that Jemza's drained into the red continuing to fall. A single strike had done this much damage. It was his entire fault for underestimating Artemis and it cost Jemza her life.

"Oh well, so much for the woman watching her man die. I suppose the same effect holds true for you to watch her die. The impact of the event still hits hard doesn't it?" Artemis wiped the blade of his sword against his boot as if there were blood to clean off the blade.

"Bastard!" The Stun effect wore off and Jayce exploded into movement diving forward for Artemis. The man's health had only dropped about twenty percent, but it didn't matter. What was the point now if Jemza wasn't around? He realized now that given the circumstance the old Jayce would want to hide and curl into a ball. It was different now and the desire to run or hide never even crossed his mind. Dying didn't even seem as frightening as it once did. When did he stop fearing death exactly?

Both men's arms worked furiously parrying and countering each other's attacks. A few minor cuts found their way through a guard here and there, but nothing more than a few percentages of damage. If Jayce could land a solid hit it would do significantly more damage, but Artemis being of higher level would deplete all of Jayce's health with one blow. If a single attack was missed he would fall and shatter like Jemza.

Jayce blinked as that very thought crossed his mind. When anything perished in SAO it broke apart into countless fragments of light. An audible shattering sound would be heard letting anyone in the vicinity know that something had died. A player death had a slightly different sound, but still would audibly let people know. In his anger at Jemza falling he hadn't waited for anything like that and forced his attack on Artemis recklessly. It wasn't until he saw the shadow rising up behind the man that he realized the sound never came.

"Urk!" The man's body arched as Jemza wrapped an arm around his neck and pierced her dagger into the small of his back. Her health blinked in the red with less than ten percent remaining. Her arm pumped back and forth in rapid succession stabbing the man as fast as she could. His health dropped to fifty percent before he broke free of her grasp stumbling away. He swung his sword wildly to fend off any follow up attacks. His eyes were full of rage when he turned to face the pair properly.

"If you want to kill someone, make sure their dead." Jemza pulled a vial from her belt and drank the contents quickly. Her health began to slowly climb a single percent at a time. This was a game which meant it had programming behind it to dictate the actions of enemies and NPC's. An enemy would not stop until the health of a player was fully depleted. That was true in any game.

"How?" Jayce glanced sideways at the woman beside him who only smirked in response.

"You said yourself that these quests seem different right? The people and everything about it seems more realistic right? I figured playing dead might work." Of all the dangerous and irresponsible things she could have done this had to be the worst. If she had been wrong he could have ended her life with one last blow, but her gamble paid off. There was indeed something vastly different with this line of quests and he could no longer believe that they were governed by normal programming.

"Heh, alright then. You can both die together." The man pushed off the ground running towards the couple. In unison they readied their weapons to accept his charge splitting at the last second to let him pass between them. This had to be like facing a boss creature in the dungeon. He seemed faster than before now that his health was below half. The speed wasn't without discipline though and each strike left no opening to counter.

The two rolled around each other trying to put the man off balance with their varying angles of attack. Jayce would feint a high slash only to step back and let Jemza dive forward with a thrust. Each time Artemis would turn the weapons aside or avoid the attacks completely. Jemza's health was still low and Jayce had to focus primarily on defending against any incoming counters Artemis might throw their way. Jemza's feet skidded along the dirt path as she parried one of his counters. The strength behind the blow was enough to send her backwards a few feet. Jayce pushed forward, stepping into the gap before Artemis could follow through and saw the man smile evilly. He altered his movement shouldering Jayce in the chest which caused his arms to rise defensively to guard.

"No!" Jemza screamed as Artemis spun to the side of Jayce chopping his sword downward. The Anneal Blade glinted in the moonlight as it spun away. Jayce stared dumbly as a new icon he had never seen before appeared next to his health bar that steadily depleted. A red square with a hand icon blinked slowly. He looked down nervously at his wrist where his hand used to be. The smile never left Artemis's face as he stalked forward to finish the job.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

There was limited information about the game's mechanics prior to the launch. Initial reviews and hype surrounding the Nerve Gear were abundant, but unless you dug deep it was hard to find substantial information in regards to the various aspects of Sword Art Online. Now, with the game's official launch well underway knowledge was gained primarily by word of mouth or through information brokers like Argo. Her strategy guides detailed various status effects that were prominent on the two accessible floors and which enemies would employ them. Her knowledge of this was gained either through firsthand experience or from people she purchased the info from.

It was a widely accepted opinion that the first few floors were fairly simple with enemies that lacked any real abilities to contend with. Not that they weren't dangerous, but there were minimal status effects a player would need to worry about during these early levels of play. It was meant to accustom the player with combat and use of sword skills before bringing the full weight of the game to bear. The wrinkle with that particular opinion was that it had been based on the knowledge of the normal series of quests and enemies prevalent on the floor. It did not include secret quest lines or boss monsters like the one that guarded each floor.

Jayce watched his sword spin away from his body glinting slightly as it spun through the air. In SAO there were enemies that could disarm a player. There were multiple different ways this was performed and varied on the monster in question. On these low floors the worst that could happen was the enemy could make you drop the weapon. Later on it was possible that the weapon could be snatched away. Both had their dangers involved, but with backup weapons or a level head the player could react appropriately and safely. The most dangerous disarm technique was Dismemberment. A player who suffered this particular effect couldn't simply equip a backup weapon without the hand and would be at the enemy's mercy.

"Move!" Jemza charged into Jayce knocking him aside. Artemis's blade glowed brightly arcing down towards where Jayce had been. The skill Vertical impacted against the blade of Jemza's dagger as she bit down hard and shoved back deflecting the attack. Her health bar was still dangerously low, the potions effects still working slowly to fill her back to full.

"Jemza!" She looked over seeing an object sailing through the air towards her. Jayce's voice should have been full of fear or concern, but she didn't detect any of that. It truly was different now for them. They didn't need to be worried for each other. There was no need to be scared of one of them dying. As far as they were concerned they were a single unit. If one fell, they both fell and that meant the only way to win was together.

"Got it!" She leapt high into the air using her agility stat to roll and spin to avoid Artemis's next blow aimed at her chest. Mid jump she slashed her dagger wide intercepting the bottle Jayce had thrown. It shattered, coating her dagger once more in venom before she fell back to the earth landing lightly. Her body remained low to the ground juking side to side while pushing Artemis back a few steps from her wide slashes of the dagger.

"You both just won't die!" Artemis jumped to the side as Jayce dove in from behind Jemza, a simple iron sword gripped in his left hand. The man raised his sword high above his head looking to activate another Vertical skill, but Jayce used the opportunity to step forward pressing the blade of his sword against the one held in Artemis's hands. In one motion he slipped past the man pushing the blade up and over his head and behind his back pinned against Jayce's

"You first." Jemza had already activated her sword skill before Jayce had even finished his movements. The dagger pulled her forward in a lunge driving deep into the depression where the man's neck met his chest. His eyes bulged while she pushed the blade into his throat, his body convulsing. Jayce pushed forward as well keeping his arms and sword locked behind his back. Jemza twisted the blade making Artemis shudder one last time before his body broke apart and shattered.

Windows opened in front of the pair as they stood breathing heavily in front of one another now that Artemis was gone. Jayce glanced at the experience and col rewarded before reaching up and closing the window with his left index finger. He opened his menu and removed the iron sword from the slot in his left hand taking a deep breath. Jemza was still looking at the window in front of her. After a few seconds she closed it and slid her dagger back onto her hip.

"I think he was considered a boss level enemy. A mini boss I guess you could call it because the experience and money was substantial. I hit level twelve." Jayce couldn't hide the excitement which looked and sounded odd considering he only had one hand.

"Me too, can't believe we did it." Jemza pulled the mask down from her face and closed her eyes while leaning her face up towards the night sky.

"Yeah, except if he was that difficult to beat…" Jayce trailed off knowing the she would understand his train of thought.

"Kurt will be worse, yeah. If Artemis is the mini boss, then it stands to reason that Kurt would be the real boss." Jayce nodded in response. It was the exact same train of thought he had come to. The blinking icon near his health bar flashed rapidly a few times before disappearing. His hand materialized back onto his wrist and he opened and closed his fingers a few times.

"That's freaky." Jemza opened her eyes after hearing him and noticed his hand.

"I'm glad that's not permanent."

"Me too, there's still a lot we don't know about this game. We both agree that everything surrounding these quests are different than normal, but we also need to start assuming the enemies won't follow the patterns and level of difficulty associated with the floor we're on." Jemza looked away towards Marome a bit further down the road. He was right; there was nothing they could assume when it came to following this quest line.

"I'm sure Argo was a beta tester. She won't confirm nor deny it, but she has to be. We should talk with her right away before we go after Kurt and see what she thinks. If she is a tester, then she's probably been to higher floors and might know things we should watch out for. I don't think we have a better alternative." Jemza explained and Jayce couldn't deny that her plan was sound.

"Alright do it. We only have until tomorrow night though so twenty four hours tops. We can't risk anymore than that." Jemza opened her menu quickly and began typing quickly. After a minute or two she closed it and looked back at Jayce.

"Done, hopefully she…" Jemza squinted as she stopped talking and opened her menu once more. Jayce laughed shaking his head.

"Already responded, didn't she?"

"She types fast, but yeah she said to meet her in Urbus at noon." As Jemza spoke Jayce thought of something that could potentially help explain things to Argo.

"Tell her to meet us at the entrance to the alley. We'll take her to the Infiltrator's Den and we can meet there. She can see for herself what's different for us on this quest." Jemza nodded with a smile and quickly typed the response up and sent it.

"Good idea." She reached up to close the window, but hesitated and switched the windows around until she got to her inventory.

"Everything alright?" She seemed torn between excitement and anxiety as she scrolled down through her items.

"Here, you should have this." A long bladed sword appeared in her hands wrapped in a black scabbard. She held the weapon towards Jayce who stared at it questioningly.

"What…is that?" The hilt and scabbard were etched in red accents adorned with a ruby on the pommel.

"Artemis was considered a boss you're right. I got the final attack bonus on him and received a bonus item. Or rather I had a choice of items." Jayce looked up at her incredulously.

"A choice, but why did you pick…"

"I picked it for you." She interrupted him holding the sword closer to him. He grabbed the weapon slowly turning it over so he could grasp the handle. He pulled the blade free examining the edge closely. It had a slight curve towards the tip, with a single edge as opposed to the double edged Anneal Blade. A handful of runes glowed along the side of the blade close to the hilt in a dull red.

"Silence. That's the name of it. Jemza, this sword is beautiful and far outclasses the Anneal Blade. This thing looks like it belongs on floor three or four, maybe even five. Wasn't there something that would have benefited you? Why pick this for me?" He looked up from the weapon and met her eyes as she smiled back.

"I wish I had some quirky remark or some romantic reason I could give, but honestly that would make it feel cheap. Our choices from now on should be made based on how they will affect us as a whole not as individuals. Your Anneal Blade is one of the best weapons, if not the best weapon a one handed sword user can get early on. The physical danger and emotional stress you went through to get that sword was more than I could imagine. That Anneal Blade was earned through blood, sweat, and tears. However, it was earned by the old Jayce, before you became who you are now. You should have a weapon that isn't remembered by the pain it took to get it. I want you to use this sword, because I gave it to you." She reached out and pushed the weapon he held closer to his chest.

"That was still pretty romantic sounding you know?" Jayce grinned holding the sword tight against his body. She laughed lightly and nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose so, but it's the truth. Someday you can return the favor." Jayce opened his inventory and equipped the sword into the slot where is Anneal Blade was. The sword disappeared from his hands and materialized onto his belt after the Anneal Blade vanished.

"Well?" Jayce stepped back and spun, modeling the sword for her. She clapped sarcastically and then used a hand to fan her face.

"Oh my, so dashing!" He laughed in response to her mock tone of voice and walked forward wrapping and arm around her pulling her towards Marome alongside him.

"Come on, we have another long night ahead of us tomorrow. Actually, knowing Argo we have a long afternoon first." Jemza giggled and nodded in agreement putting her arm around his waist. The levity in their walk ended once they returned to the room that had been provided for them. They had both forgotten about the one problem this room had that was situated in the corner of the room.

"Right…one bed." Jemza said out loud and Jayce shook his head.

"It's fine, I can sleep in the chair over there. Not an issue really." Jemza looked over at him and grabbed his breastplate pushing him towards the bed. With strength he often forgot she had, he was thrown onto the bed forcefully. Before he could react she landed atop him pinning him down.

"I'm not tired." He swallowed hard hearing her voice in a low tone. She was breathing heavily and he tried to push himself up to kiss her only for her to push him back down onto the bed.

"Jemza?" She closed her eyes and bit her lip before opening her eyes once more.

"I want you to listen to me. I need to tell you everything, and once I'm done if you still want me, you can have me. This could be our last night together, so if I die, I want it to be with a clear conscious. You deserve to know who I really am and if I'm worth all this. Will you listen to me?" She asked the question quietly and he knew her heart rate and breathing wasn't just from the position they were in. She was scared, but mustering all the courage she could.

"Yes…I'll listen."


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

"Let's go, everyone inside! Hurry it up Himeko." Sister Katherine looked toward the western horizon as the sun began to set over the Saitama prefecture. Nearly two dozen children ranging from as young as eight years old up to sixteen jogged into the large building that functioned as their home. When the last one sprinted through the wooden double doors of the church, Sister Katherine gave one last look over the open playground before turning and following everyone inside.

"I'm starving!" One of the girls bounded through the hall, her black twin tails shaking back and forth with each step.

"You're always starving Himeko. Nothing new there." Himeko pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest slowing down next to the girl who had responded.

"Are you calling me fat Rika?" The girl jabbed her finger into Himeko's side making her yelp in surprise.

"My finger almost got sucked in! That was close!" Rika could barely contain her laughter with each word as Himeko turned red with anger. Rika Sakurai and Himeko Tachibana, sixteen and fifteen years old respectively had been best friends for the better part of the last six years. They both had grown up here in Saitama after Sister Katherine took them into the orphanage. Both arrived the same day which created a common ground for the two on which their friendship grew.

Himeko was the louder of the two and tended to cause the most trouble. Being one of the older kids in the orphanage meant she held a certain level of respect from the younger ones. A fact she would often exploit. It didn't help that at fifteen years old she was already becoming a beautiful young woman. Her hair was always perfectly straight, tied back into two tails. As black as her hair was it always seemed to shine in the sun. Energetic, combative, and proud were the three words most used to describe Himeko and she never denied any of it. She was tall and athletic which garnered a lot of envy from other girls.

Rika, being the older of the two, was the only person able to keep up with Himeko. In fact she was the only one who seemed able to challenge her. Rika's attractiveness came not only from the physical aspect of her body, but also her intelligence. She shared the same hair color as Himeko, but wore hers in a single ponytail tied back behind her head. Whereas Himeko tended to speak without thinking, Rika always thought about her words before she spoke. They were both charismatic and respected in their own ways, and being best friends meant that they were regarded as the idols of their orphanage.

"You're just jealous of my body Rika." Himeko flipped her hair with a hand and turned her nose upwards in a mock gesture of superiority.

"Hmmm, too bad there's not enough to be jealous of." Rika send the barb that she knew would trigger Himeko's fury. They were friends, but that didn't mean they didn't enjoy teasing each other.

"Oh ha ha! Very funny!" Himeko rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the one thing she was jealous of Rika for. Unfortunately not all women are created equal and the powers that be had decided to bless Rika just a bit more than they did Himeko. She glanced down at her chest before looking back up at Rika who was already smiling broadly.

"I heard drinking milk helps." Rika turned forward, walking proudly as Himeko continued to fume.

"You would know since you carry those things around all day." Himeko growled angrily making Rika laugh and put her arm around her friend.

"Hello girls." The two rounded a corner and stopped just in time before running into the group of boys.

"Hey Shinji." Himeko waved and smiled playfully at the boy who had called out to them. Shinji Hasegawa was to the boys what Himeko and Rika was to the girls. He was handsome and confident. The boys admired him and the girls adored him. He was the same age as Rika putting him a year older than Himeko. It was common knowledge that the two had eyes for one another.

"Where are you two off to?" Shinji always had a cadre of others with him. Typically four or five other boys who seemed to wait on him hand and foot. It was like they believed that just being near him would allow some of his charm to rub off on them.

"It's dinner time, so we're going to eat." Rika answered with a hint of sarcasm making Shinji turn his auburn colored head towards her.

"A bit defensive tonight aren't you Rika? Too bad your attitude doesn't match your beautiful face." He reached out towards her, but Rika slapped his hand aside.

"Gross, don't touch me Shinji. Let's go Himeko." Rika grabbed her friends hand and pulled her along quickly. Shinji watched on in amusement pushing the hair out of his eyes. Himeko mumbled a few words and waved a hand before Rika pulled her away.

"Come on Rika you don't have to be like that." Himeko pulled her hand free from Rika's grasp as they walked.

"I don't like him Himeko. Something about him feels wrong. Just because he has good looks he thinks he can do whatever he wants. A boy like that is no good.

"Aw he's not that bad. You just won't give him a chance." Rika eyed her friend warily and shook her head.

"Someday we'll meet boys who don't use their looks to get what they want. Boys that will treat us like we deserve and not just because of how we look. At least I know I will." Himeko laughed as her friend spoke and patted her on the back gently.

"Oh, Rika you are hopeless. We're both gorgeous so let's enjoy it before we get old. Your prince charming will wait." Rika sighed and kept walking alongside Himeko.

"I hope so."

 **1 year later**

"Sister Katherine! Hurry, she's not breathing!" Rika knelt on the rain soaked concrete ignoring the feeling of the water soaking through her pants. It was far past curfew when Rika found Himeko behind the church in an alcove. Her body was curled up on the ground, blood mixing with the rain water that continued to fall from the storm clouds high above.

"Oh no, what happened child?" Sister Katherine joined Rika as she pressed a hand against Himeko's chest.

"She snuck out again. When she didn't come back I got scared and looked for her. I found her like this." Rika explained quickly.

"I'm calling for an ambulance stay with her Rika!" The woman ran away splashing through the puddles as Rika tried to get Himeko to breath. She was bruised and cut all over her face. Her hair was splayed across the ground in a wild mess instead of neatly kept how she usually had it.

"Come on Himeko wake up! Please wake up!" Mercifully the girls eyes fluttered and her chest rose slowly. Rika gasped and pulled the girl into her lap holding her close.

"Ri…ka?"

"I've got you! Just hold on help is coming! Don't talk just rest!" Rika ran her hand over Himeko's face pushing her hair back away from her swollen eyes.

"I'm sorry...Rika. You were right."

"Shut up Himeko! Help is coming!" Rika clung to the girl in her lap rocking her back and forth in the rain. The paramedics had to pry her hands loose when they arrived to get Himeko onto the stretcher. Sister Katherine jumped into the back alongside the girl.

"Get inside Rika. She'll be ok." The doors of the ambulance shut and it pulled away onto the street. Rika stood in silence long after the lights faded before finally turning and walking back towards the church. She was soaking wet and each step squished uncomfortably under her feet. Even once she was inside the safety of the church she shivered from the cold. A large group of people all stood near the entrance staring at her as she entered.

"Poor Himeko. It's too bad what happened to her." Rika's face snapped towards the voice. Leaning against the wall nearby was Shinji. The smug look on his face and his posture told Rika all she needed to know. Ever since he started dating Himeko six months ago Rika had noticed the bruises on Himeko. She always played them off, but Rika was smarter than that.

"I'll be going to the police." Rika forced her anger down and clenched her fists unable to stop shaking.

"Don't get involved in things you know nothing about Rika." Everyone remained silent looking between Rika and Shinji.

"I know enough. It ends tonight." Rika walked away towards her room leaving the boy grinning.

"I suppose you're right." Shinji chuckled alongside his friends watching her storm away.

Rika tore her clothes off once she was in her room and threw them against the wall. Her anger could no longer be contained and she breathed heavily as she punched her fist against the mattress of her bed. Himeko had started dating Shinji against Rika's wishes six months ago. They were the perfect couple as far as everyone in the orphanage was concerned. Rika saw the slow decline that came shortly after. Himeko's wrists would be black and blue, or her shoulders showed similar injuries. Himeko refused to talk about it and had caused a number of frequent fights between the two best friends. Nothing had been this bad though.

In the last year, Shinji and his group had become something many feared. They would bully the weaker and younger kids and they weren't afraid to resort to violence. The nuns of the church could only do so much to control them. Rika felt that Himeko only agreed to go out with Shinji because she was afraid to say no. Himeko would never admit that, but now things had gone too far. Despite constant threats Rika had never bent to Shinji or his goons and she was sure that he was behind Himeko's injuries.

Rika pulled a t-shirt over her head and a pair of shorts before falling onto her bed. Her heart hadn't stopped racing since she found Himeko outside. Her own fatigue didn't matter since the adrenaline had kept her going. Now that she was lying down in her bed the initial shock was wearing off and her body was beginning to send signals that it needed rest. Tomorrow morning she would call the police and hopefully Shinji would get what was coming to him. No one else needed to be a victim. After tonight Himeko could go back to being safe beside Rika.

"Hold her down!" Rika's eyes opened wide as two strong hands grabbed her arms pinning them to her bed. Another pair grabbed her ankles while someone covered her mouth. She struggled wildly, but was unable to overpower the people surrounding her.

"Rika, Rika, Rika. Why are you so persistent? It was one thing to think that you could try and defy everything I do. I could handle that, really. However, now you want to go and contact the police? Rika, I just can't have that. The police ask questions and generally would give me a hard time." Shinji stood over her head looking down at her.

"Et ee o!" Rika tried to call out, but the hand covering her mouth muffled the sound. Shinji waved a hand and the boy removed his hand.

"What was that?"

"I said let me go." Rika forced herself to remain calm. Shinji only smiled walking around so that he was beside her. He stared at her for a few moments before driving his fist into the side of her face.

"It's all your fault!" Shinji leaned down yelling into her face as she coughed.

"No, please it wasn't!" Rika cried as the pain lanced through her body.

"Hit her! Hit her harder!"

"Make her bleed!" The other boys cheered Shinji on as he balled his fist and punched the side of her head again. A third fist found her mouth sending a stream of blood spraying across the room.

"If you had just been obedient this wouldn't have happened. Now you'll pay the price for what you've done."

"Leave me alone!" Rika couldn't see with the blood that now was streaming down her face.

"Hold her down. After we're done here, you'll wish you were dead too." The boys renewed their holds on her limbs as Shinji sent his fist into her stomach making her eyes bulge open and blasting the air from her lungs. Her tears mixed with the blood and she could only hear the laughter as he continued to beat her. The sound of fabric being torn was the first thing that made her focus once more.

"Stop!" Shinji gripped the handle of a knife slicing her shirt open despite her protests.

"Look at the size of those things boys! Miss high and mighty doesn't seem so tough now does she?" Shinji laughed waving the knife around. Rika sobbed as he tore her shirt open leaving her in just a bra.

"Please, just stop." Rika begged which only made them laugh more.

"I don't like being told no. I take what I want even if that means by force. What should we do now Rika? You've never had a boyfriend have you? Want to know what it's like?" Shinji slid the knife down her belly letting it rest against the waistband of her shorts.

"No! Get off!" Using all the strength she had left Rika bucked against the boys holding her down. They were stronger than she was and refused to give an inch. She was helpless against them and Shinji knew it.

"As much fun as it would be to take your first time, I was thinking more along the lines of this." Rika gasped, her back arching as the knife slid into her side passing between two ribs. An intense pain the likes of which she'd never felt erupted through her body as he slowly pulled the knife out of her.

"Please…" Rika choked as more blood ran down her cheek.

"Shut up!" Shinji slammed the butt of the knife into her face. She could hear the sound of bones cracking. "Give me that." He reached out as another boy handed him a bottle. Rika could feel cold liquid cover parts of her body. Shinji stood and the pressure on her limbs vanished. She didn't have the strength to move anymore anyway. Everyone exited her room except Shinji who returned to her side and stabbed her once more in the stomach. It didn't hurt as much this time and Rika didn't even move as the knife plunged into her and retracted.

"When you see Himeko, tell her hi for me." Shinji walked away dropping a metallic object behind him as he left. It had a strange glow to it as it spun through the air until it bounced off the ground. It was only then that Rika identified it for what it was. Flames erupted in her room as the lighter found the gasoline Shinji and spread throughout the room. They raced up the bed and Rika screamed as her right arm was engulfed in flames.

The flames took hold of anything they could find in the room and Rika forced her body off of the bed. The knife wounds bled heavily threatening to sap her strength with each passing moment. The smoke choked her and she couldn't see out of one of her eyes. She turned towards the wall and given the amount of smoke and her injuries she hoped that her aim would be true. If not, she would die in this room, burned alive. Rika pushed off the bed with her feet, tucking herself as tightly as she could and smashed through the window. Shards of glass sliced into her exposed arms and body.

With a loud thud she hit the ground outside of her room, the rain quickly dousing the fires that had covered her body. She laid there unable to move watching as smoke poured out of her window. The screams of others inside the church was all she could hear amidst the rain. In the end it didn't matter that she had escaped. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Too much blood had been lost. It seemed fitting that this was how she would die. She was an orphan, abandoned on the street. This was how she was meant to die…alone on the street.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

"Rika Sakurai? That's your name, isn't it?" Jayce looked up at the girl who straddled his body, tears dropping down from her eyes onto his chest.

"A punctured lung, collapsed eye socket, severe trauma to my thyroid, third degree burns along the entirety of my right arm with superficial burns covering fifty percent more, and countless lacerations and bruises. That's what he did to me." She sniffled keeping her head lowered so that he couldn't see her face.

"Jemza…I mean…Rika, how did you survive?"

"They found me quick enough and managed to stabilize me. Three of the younger kids died in the smoke as the church burned. Just one more punishment for me to endure. If I had just kept my mouth shut it never would have happened." Jemza cried dipping down so her head rested on his chest.

"What? No! It wasn't your fault! Himeko knew that too right?" Jayce grabbed her shoulders and she shook her head quickly.

"She died in the hospital from her wounds. Shinji killed her too. They found him the next day and arrested him and his friends. You know what they did when they got caught? They laughed. They killed four people in total and laughed about it."

"You did the right thing Jemza. You stood up to them. I'm so sorry that happened to you." Jayce wrapped his arms around her back, but she pushed herself up so she once more hovered over his body.

"I'm blind in one eye. The sun hurts so much that I have to wear an eye patch to cover it. My right arm is covered in burns. The damage to my thyroid caused my hair to go from black to white over the next three years and I still have two horrible scars where the knife stabbed me. The smoke caused irreparable damage to my lungs that I need oxygen from time to time. My jaw was broken in three places and does this funny little clicking noise when I open and close my mouth now.

The Nerve Gear…aside from my white hair it didn't pick any of that up. This is what I should look like. No scars, no burns, and with both my eyes intact. Whether it's my fault or not my actions caused the death of my best friend and three others. I did the right thing and people died because of it. My home burned to the ground and it was the last real home I had. I stole the Nerve Gear because I'm homeless. It was the last chance for happiness.

I played a few games at the church when I was younger and loved them. SAO seemed like the perfect escape from the real world. I could never afford one so I stole it. I was ready to be arrested and go to jail. That didn't matter so long as I could see this world for a few minutes. Like I told you before, no one would care if I died in here. There's no one left out there for me." Jemza's tears continued to fall, her white hair covering her face and spilling down onto Jayce's chest.

"I see…" Jayce found it hard to respond properly after she explained everything about herself. Somehow, it seemed his own past didn't seem as painful when compared to hers.

"You can see it now right? How ugly I am." Jemza leaned her face up so he could see her. The lower lip shook slightly as she fought to hold back most of her emotions. Jayce thought for a second before reaching up and touching her cheeks with both hands.

"Did you find him?" Jayce asked the question and her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Find him? Who are you talking about?" Jayce rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks cleaning the tears away.

"Your prince charming." Her eyes filled with tears once more as he spoke and her lip quivered violently. She collapsed atop him burying her face into his chest and screamed her pain into his body.

"Yes! Yes, I found him!" This wasn't the first time she had cried like this, but her screams were ones that had been held in for years. Much like he had blamed himself for Katie and his mother's death, she had done the same for Himeko and the children who died in the fire. The difference was she had been reminded everyday through her scars of that horrible night.

"We're not going to die here. Not tomorrow or the day after that. I won't let you die, I promise. It's going to be a long time that we're stuck here. Years by my best estimation, but I know we're going to make it. In this short amount of time look at how far we've come." Jemza took an unsteady breath and nodded once.

"I know, and that's what scares me. I don't want to leave. I want to stay here, with you." The way she had talked up until now made so much more sense to Jayce now. Jemza's real life was the real prison and SAO was a release. Despite the dangers, it paled in comparison to what she suffered through every day outside the game.

"Just think of all the free medical care your body is getting right now back in the real world." She snorted while laughing in response still keeping her face pressed against him.

"God, Jayce don't make me laugh."

"It's Jason actually. My name I mean. Jason Conrad. I'm from Illinois in the United States. Came to Japan for the past year as a contractor to assist with a network infrastructure deployment in Tokyo. I would have been going back home in January. I'll be twenty four this February." Jemza lifted her head and stared into his eyes for a few moments.

"Jason? Sounds just like your avatar name. Not very clever at all."

"Yeah, thanks." Jayce rolled his eyes sarcastically making her laugh again.

"I'm Rika Sakurai, from Saitama prefecture. I turned twenty three in October. I knew you weren't from Japan. America huh? I wish I could visit there someday. It seems like such a beautiful country."

"It is, but so is Japan. Where I'm from it gets so hot in the summer, but frigidly cold in the winter. I'm from a town an hour or so north of Chicago. Do you know this city?" Jemza shifted resting her cheek on his chest and placed her palms beside her face.

"I've heard of that city. It is big like Tokyo right?"

"Not that big, but yes. New York is probably closer to Tokyo population wise."

"Ah, I also know of New York. The Big Apple of the United States." Jayce chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, that's right. I've never been there, but it's much larger than Chicago. You will have to see it for yourself." Jemza closed her eyes and smiled.

"I wish that someday I could." A hint of sadness crept into her voice once more and Jayce rested his hand on the back of her head.

"So…come see it. Once this is over I mean." Her hands closed against the leather of his breastplate before opening once more, her fingers tracing the edges.

"How would I do that exactly? Perhaps in America the homeless can still afford fancy vacations and airplane tickets?" Jayce laughed and placed his hand on top of hers.

"No, but maybe you'll come back with me and we can see it together, if you aren't too busy of course?" Her breathing increased in pace once more and she spread her fingers letting his slide in between each of hers.

"Why? Didn't you understand everything I just told you? I am not beautiful like I am here. I would be nothing but a burden."

"Because your arm was burned, you are forced to wear an eye patch and have a few scars? Do you really think that makes you ugly? We live in a cruel world where people judge others based on their physical appearance. I understand this, but that doesn't mean you are excluded from being happy. You would be surprised how many people out there would never treat you poorly if you gave them a chance."

"I can't walk very fast or be outside for too long. It hurts my eyes and I lose my breath easily because of my lungs." Her hand closed again keeping his fingers tied around hers.

"Then we walk slowly and visit the museums and aquarium that Chicago has. Your eyes would be safe in there."

"I have nothing to give you. I will never have anything I can give to you. I was born with nothing, so how could I ever hope to feel like I was worth the trouble?" She swallowed and took a breath after she spoke.

"I think first you need to find a way to realize you were never trouble to begin with. Your financial and social status doesn't decide your worth as a person. Some of the wealthiest people in the world tend to be the biggest jerks. If being rich means losing your humanity then is that really something you should be envious of? Find a way to understand that if you take something that is freely given it doesn't always mean you need to return the favor." He felt her hand tighten around his as she took another deep breath.

"You…have gotten very good at sweet talking me."

"Think so? Is it working?"

"Yes, it's working."

"Then you no longer need to be afraid of leaving here. You have a home to go back to and someone who cares if you live or die. A whole new country to experience too." Jemza twisted forward and pushed slid her body up so she could kiss him.

"Why is it that you are offering me everything I could ever dream of, but I'm so scared? What if I'm not good enough? I would be alone again, in a country I don't know." Jayce held her face firm and stared into her eyes.

"We have a long time together here. Give me that time to prove to you that I won't go anywhere. I'll earn your trust and by the time this is over you won't have to worry about something like that ever again." She nodded and pushed forward pressing her lips against his. Her hands fumbled around on his armor while his did the same on hers. They broke apart for a moment staring at each other in confusion.

"I can't seem to remove anything…" Jemza said and Jayce nodded with a laugh.

"I think the game is setup so players can't remove each other's equipment. It makes sense or else you could just go stealing things off of people's bodies."

"Ah, I guess that does make sense then. So um…I suppose…" Jemza's face turned red and she looked away for a moment. After a few seconds her mouth tightened and she swiped her menu open. With a few taps her armor disappeared as well as the dagger on her belt. She hesitated for a second before closing her eyes and tapping once more. The black shirt, leggings, and skirt vanished leaving her lying atop him in just her underwear.

"Oh…wow…" Her eyes opened wider as Jayce turned her over onto her back and kissed her mouth once more. Her breath caught in her throat as he left her lips and kissed down her neck along her collarbone. She fought against the embarrassment of being so exposed to him trying to focus more on how happy she felt after revealing everything to him.

"Jayce…what do I do?" His hands ran down her sides passing over each rib while tracing his mouth between her chest to her stomach. He looked up at her and pushed himself up towards her face once more.

"You don't have to do anything Jemza. Don't do anything unless it's what you want." They stared at each other for a long while until she finally responded.

"For tonight, will you call me Rika? Jemza is who I wish I could be, and I'm still a little scared that you love Jemza more than Rika. So, just for tonight would you call me by my real name. That way I know it's the real me you're looking at." She lifted her arms and wrapped them around the back of his neck.

"Yeah, alright…Rika." She pulled him down and kissed him deeply pushing her tongue into his mouth. Within moments her legs wrapped around his waist pressing her body against his as hard as she could.

"Take yours off too. I can't do it." She giggled as she spoke between breaths and Jayce had to use his peripheral vision to open the menu and navigate to his inventory. She refused to release his mouth which made it hard to do, but eventually he located the proper command sequence and his armor, weapon, and clothes vanished from his body. The mood overcame Jemza's embarrassment enough as she fumbled through her menu once more and removed the last of her clothing without hesitation.

"You're beautiful Rika. All of you." The last of his clothing was gone after another few seconds of frenzied menu navigation and she dug her nails into his back.

"Anywhere you want. Touch me, kiss me anywhere." She breathed into his ear rocking her body and using one of her legs to tighten around his lower back. Both of their hearts raced madly as she ran her tongue along his ear. Jayce's hand slid down over her chest making her gasp. He brought it down to her thigh pulling her leg higher up against his body.

"I love you." He touched his forehead against hers trying to keep his breathing normalized. In response she ran her hands down his back and pulled him slowly against her. Her mouth opened wide and her eyes closed.

"Ah! I love you!" Her hands raced up his back to his neck and she pulled with all her strength lifting her body off the bed. Her hips moved against his rapidly as her tongue found his once more. Both her legs locked around him as he ran his hands down her body making her quiver.

"Rika…" Jayce pulled away from her mouth staring down at her as she reached up and held his face.

"Don't stop…don't stop…" One of her hands fell to his hip pulling him harder. They both tensed and he brought his mouth to hers as she cried out in pleasure muffling her voice. She shuddered against him for a few moments until the only sound was their ragged breathing and heartbeats. For a few minutes they stared at each other in silence waiting for their bodies to calm.

"Heh…" They both smiled at the same time as nervous laughter escaped them both simultaneously.

"I really like this game." Jemza was the first to speak and Jayce couldn't deny her sentiment. He nodded and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Me too." She giggled in response and pulled him back towards her kissing him again.

"Good…" He tried to pull back but found her arms stronger than he thought keeping him pinned against her.

"Rika…what…" Her tongue traced his lips and she leaned back staring up at him.

"Round two Alchemist."


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

 **December 8** **th** **, 2022**

"It's strange isn't it?" Jayce looked over from the chair he sat in raising an eyebrow. Jemza was sitting on the edge of the bed scrolling through her inventory list when she spoke.

"What is?"

"The Anti-Harassment System kicked in pretty much like it should up until last night. It even threw you back a few nights ago when you hugged me. Isn't it strange that now it seems to be completely shut off? I mean, last night we even…uh…you know?" Jemza asked while turning scarlet in the cheeks, but Jayce thought about the question for awhile. It was something he had been curious about as well.

"Maybe the system adapts to the individuals in question. There might be some way it monitors mental and emotional states of mind. If so it could switch the safety off automatically for two people like us. It could also have to do with our age. A lot of players are younger kids, but you and I are adults. That could play a factor."

"You think the programmers could create something as adaptive as that? The Nerve Gear alone is ahead of its time, but now you're considering the potential of advanced AI technology?" Jemza tapped a button and her casual style clothing materialized onto her body. The pair had agreed to travel back to Urbus in the same style clothing they wore when they arrived in Marome.

"Just look at our fight with Artemis last night. The dialogue during the fight, his mannerisms, and even how he fought was far different than any random monster out in the wild. That felt like we were fighting against a real person, not some computer generated opponent." Jayce turned the chair so he could properly face the girl as they spoke.

"True, I noticed that too. I suppose there's more to this world than we ever realized. I wonder if it was always their intention or if the system can adapt. We can't feel pain, but what's to stop it from changing that?" Jayce shivered slightly at the thought. Jemza had a good point, but he silently prayed that the system never made such a drastic change during their time here.

"I'm sure that won't change. Pain is the one thing the system doesn't mimic here. Touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste are all replicated very well. Even emotional reactions like laughter and crying exist, which just goes to show how advanced SAO really is. I think the programmers purposefully made things that way. Although a prison, they wanted this to feel as real as possible aside from pain. Excitement, happiness, sadness…"

"Pleasure…" Jemza interrupted him as he spoke and they both blushed and fell silent.

"You…we both hit level twelve right?" Jayce quickly changed the subject after a long and awkward silence.

"Yes! You're right we did! What skill are you going to choose?" Jemza seemed equally anxious to move past the awkwardness.

"Well, after the estate blunder I caused I think it's easy to choose. PoH and you both had Searching and that seems far too valuable to not have." Jemza nodded as he spoke.

"I think that's a good idea. I was thinking that everything so far has involved us sneaking into places. Lockpicking would be a good choice for me don't you think?" Jemza stood and walked next to Jayce turning her skill window around so he could view it.

"Yeah, we're probably going to need that sooner rather than later. Let's lock them in." They both chose their respective skills and committed both to their lists. They closed the system menu and moved towards the door leading out of the small room. Jayce opened the door, but Jemza hesitated at the threshold looking back sadly.

"I liked this room. Even if it was for only one night, I liked it." Jayce put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Me too."

"It's been exactly a week since we met. It feels like it's been so much longer. I met you, fell in love, and gave everything to you. That's weird right? Seven days and I'd follow you anywhere in the world." She turned and looked up at him. Jayce wrapped his arm around her pulling her through the doorway, closing it behind her.

"One door closes and now we go find the next one to open. Let's keep doing that and I'm sure years from now we'll find the answer." Jemza closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She nodded and smiled opening her eyes and stepping forward in front of him.

"Alright, let's go. We need to meet Argo in Urbus. Tonight will be a long night." The couple exited the home and began the long hike back towards Urbus. If last night had been any indication of what laid ahead, then Jemza's sentiments were dead on. Tonight would be very long indeed.

"Ah! My two favorite employees!" Hours later when they entered Urbus and made their way to the alley that would lead to the Thieves Guild, Argo was waiting. She waved enthusiastically from where she leaned against a building as Jayce and Jemza approached.

"Hey Argo. Thanks for coming." Jemza reached out and shook her hand with a smile.

"Of course Miss White, you made it sound like this would be quite beneficial to me. How could I say no to that? I see you are still with my favorite Alchemist whom I care ever so deeply for. My very first employee who I…" Her sarcastic and nasally sounding speech was cut off as Jayce walked up to her determinedly, crouched down, pulled her hood back, and kissed her on the cheek. Her eyes opened wide along with Jemza's as the two women stood with their mouths open.

"Good to see you Argo, let's go." He stood back up and began walking down the alley. With a few series of menu navigational taps he sent the girl a party invite and kept walking. Argo quickly flipped her hood back up, tightening it around her face a little more than normal and accepted the invite. Before it hid her face Jemza saw the deep crimson color flush the girl's cheeks. She jogged a few steps coming up next to Jayce.

"Sorry, I promise I won't do that again. Just once I wanted to get the better of Argo the Rat." Jayce whispered and Jemza sighed shaking her head. She couldn't help, but smile at the same time.

"Well, you got her good on that one. Just be careful, Argo can be dangerous." Jayce shook his head in disagreement.

"Not this time. I did that right in the open where others could see. She'll be too concerned with stamping out the rumors that she has a boyfriend who kissed her in the middle of the streets of Urbus." Jemza looked over at him incredulously.

"You are pure evil sometimes." He grinned wickedly in response to her comment as they continued through the winding alleyway. Jemza allowed Jayce to test his Searching skill once they reached the brick wall so he could see exactly how it worked. After finding the latch under the wall it spun providing them access further down towards the guild.

"This is quite hidden." Argo commented after being silent for a long time.

"Still one more to go down here a little ways." Jemza slid the dagger off her belt as they entered the tunnel and dragged the blade over her hand drawing a red line. Jayce held his hand out and she handed him the dagger allowing him to do the same. Argo watched on curiously as Jayce turned and held the weapon towards her.

"Last part requires your blood to enter. Since the game doesn't have bleeding you can draw a line of damage on your hand." Jayce explained and Argo took the dagger warily.

"This sounds like some blood cult you are taking me to. Are you planning on sacrificing me to some dark god?" Jayce laughed and Jemza shook her head reaching out and patting Argo's shoulder.

"He's telling the truth. Besides, aren't you the one always looking for information? I promise that in a few minutes it'll all be worth your time." Argo's visage never changes from skepticism, but after another brief pause she finally slid the blade of the knife across her hand and gave the weapon back to Jemza. Once they reached the appropriate point, Jayce instructed the girl on where to place her hand revealing the secret path to the Infiltrators Den. At that point the Rat's anticipation began to get the better of her.

"You two figured this all out on your own? How did you know to cut your hands? Wait, that means we aren't in Urbus technically anymore. We're outside the Safety Zone and injury is possible. This entire quest line is different, how did you two manage all this? Look at this place; it's literally underneath the city!" Argo began spouting off without taking a breath or allowing either of the pair to answer any of her questions.

"Here we are." Jayce reached out and opened the door revealing the tavern that functioned as the home for the Thieves Guild. The NPC's inside looked up cautiously until they saw Jayce and Jemza enter before either going about their business or flashing a quick wave. At one table Roland and Luna gave wide smiles raising their mugs towards the pair. Argo followed close behind trying to take in the surroundings.

"Hey! Jayce and Jemza welcome back!" Roland called out drawing a nod from the duo.

"Those are NPC's…and not quest givers either. Why are they calling out to you? This isn't right at all. NPC's don't…" Argo stopped as Jayce spun and knelt down in front of her. She flinched slightly, but it didn't quite seem like it was out of fear.

"Argo, I need you to do me a favor. Jemza and I have barely scratched the surface of these quests, but it's vastly different than anything I've seen. You're smart and clever so you are already realizing it far earlier than we did. These might be NPC's to you, but it's not that way for us anymore. Can you respect that?" Jayce leaned closer towards Argo and lowered his voice as he spoke. The painted whiskers on her face twitched slightly before she gave a quick nod.

"Alright I can do that…Jayce." He was straightening his body and half turned around when he heard her say his name. A very uncharacteristic thing for her to do.

"Thanks Argo. Come on there's someone we want you to meet." He began weaving through the tables towards a door in the back of the building leaving the brown cloaked girl standing.

"You've…grown." She whispered it under her breath before shuffling quickly to catch up to the two. They knocked once on the door and a feminine voice called out in greeting. A small office appeared through the door as it opened with a beautiful woman seated behind a desk on the far end. She looked up and her eyes instantly shone brighter recognizing the pair.

"Jemza and Jayce! Thank goodness you are both safe!" The woman pushed herself up from her chair and bounded over wrapping he arms around them both. Argo could only stare dumbfounded at what she was witnessing. This was another NPC as indicated by her cursor and yet her speech and actions seemed otherwise.

"We're back Rose and yes we are alright."

"Oh my and look at this. Jayce, have you brought another beautiful young woman with you?" Rose stood before Argo, her smile remaining as the girl shifted nervously.

"Beau…beautiful? Wha?" Ever since beginning this walk towards the Thieves Guild, Argo had been more out of her element than normal. It was a feeling she was unaccustomed to and not something she traditionally enjoyed.

"My name is Rose Vermilion and I run the Thieves Guild from this establishment. If you are friends of these two then you are a friend of mine." The woman held her hand out towards Argo who shook it slowly.

"Argo, pleasure to meet you." Their hands separated, but Argo's eyes never left Rose. This was the single most amazing thing she had witnessed so far. This entire area wasn't just a hideaway for a secret quest line, but was surrounded by intricate programming the likes of which she had never seen.

"We have some time, but there's a lot we need to go over and we need to do it now. I haven't explained any of this to Argo yet, but her knowledge will be invaluable once I explain." Jayce motioned towards her desk and Rose nodded leading them towards the chairs.

"What did you find in Marome?" Rose looked between them and Jayce glanced at Jemza before looking back at her.

"They know where you are Rose. Kurt is coming for you, tonight. Argo is a good friend of mine who deals in the trade and acquisition of information. There's no one in this world as talented as she is when it comes to information. We will need her services if we are going to succeed." Jayce explained and Rose's face became more serious than usual.

"Is that true?" Rose glanced over at Argo who could only look back nervously.

"I don't entirely know what's going on here, but yes, I'm the best." A hint of her usual pride finally broke free making Jemza smirk slightly.

"We need you to explain everything to her Rose. Tell her everything you told me when we last met. Leave nothing out and Jayce and I can fill in the parts we know. We are going to need to know everything we can about the people that killed your husband, and I anyone can track them down, it's Argo." A faint smile crossed Rose's lips as Jemza spoke. The woman leaned forward across the desk holding her hands out towards Argo who slowly rested her palms within Rose's hands.

"Thank you Miss Argo. I'm very happy these two have brought you with if it helps. You have my eternal gratitude for offering your services." She squeezed Argo's hands tightly.

"She'll want money." Jayce commented making Argo shoot him a look of anger. Rose merely laughed and squeezed the girl's hands once more.

"We're thieves Jayce, not beggars. You will be paid for your services Miss Argo, do not worry. I would question your motives if you were so easily swayed into doing things for free."

"Just Argo please, or Argo the Rat if you prefer. Tell me what's going on here and I'll see what I can do to help. I must admit…this has my attention." The last portion Argo glanced over at the pair who breathed sighs of relief. They had hoped to hook Argo with this portion of the quest and glean any information from her that they could. In return, Argo would be afforded a wealth of opportunity and firsthand knowledge of the guild.

"As you wish Argo, thank you again. Now, before I begin you said Kurt was coming tonight? I assume once my story is done you will be sharing a plan to stop him?" Rose looked back at Jayce who nodded.

"We know he's coming. He thinks he will catch you unawares." Jayce stared at Rose who matched his gaze.

"We lure him here…" Rose began as Jayce leaned back in the chair.

"And we kill him."


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

"So…ye leave with one lass and return with two. When I told ye to man up I didn't expect such quick progress!" Jayce sat down in between Luna and Roland at the same table they had been at before. Before his rear even hit the wooden seat Luna had begun laying into him. Argo slid into the seat across the table also in between the two NPC's.

"It's not like that Luna. This is Argo the Rat, the best information broker around. Argo, this is Luna Duskmantle and Roland McGlade." Jayce motioned towards each of the NPC's respectively.

"Nice to meet you both." Argo reached a hand out and shook Roland and Luna's politely.

"Roland, this one's cute too eh? Think Jayce would mind if I took this one for meself?" Luan leered at Argo and licked her lips making Argo's eyes widen. Jayce just chuckled and shook his head.

"Pay her no mind young lady, Luna lacks proper manners. She did the same to Jayce when she met him too." Roland winked towards Argo and she relaxed dramatically.

"Eh! You ruin all the fun! So, Argo the Rat…what brings ye to our little hole in the ground? Jayce says yer an information broker." Luna let the teasing drop and poured liquid into a mug sliding it over to Argo.

"Jayce said he needed my help and that it would be more than worth my while. I came here strictly to see what he felt was so valuable, but now…" Argo trailed off looking down into the mug as Luna and Roland exchanged glances.

"You met with Rose huh? How much did she tell you?" Roland took a drink after asking Argo whose shoulders shrugged under the brown cloak she wore.

"Not sure, but I feel like she told me everything." Jayce remained silent as Argo conversed with the two NPC's. He couldn't help but note that she had seemed to forget that these were only NPC's. Their conversation was flowing like any real conversation between a group of people. Even Argo the Rat was seemingly forgetting that these two people beside her were nothing more than strings of code.

"Tis a sad story. One that she keeps near her heart so I must ask discretion Miss Rat. Yer an information broker so ye sell and trade the resource. Rose ain't fer trading, selling, or buying. We understand one another?" Luna's voice switched into a slightly threatening tone, but Argo's face never flinched. She lifted the mug and took a drink before setting it back down on the table.

"If you had told me that before I met her I would have argued, but after hearing it myself? It won't leave this room, I promise." Luna smiled and raised her mug respectively towards Argo. Jayce grinned watching as the always sarcastic and opportunistic Argo showed a side he had never seen before.

"Jemza is still in there with Rose right?" Roland leaned towards Jayce and received a nod in return.

"Yeah, those two really hit it off last time so they had more to discuss." Jayce looked back towards the door for a few moments.

"Something happened didn't it?" Jayce looked back at Roland whose eyes seemed to bore into his thoughts.

"Whoever hurt Rose is still after her. Someone knows she's here, and I think that someone was one of the people present when her husband was killed." Luna and Argo stopped talking with one another and turned towards Jayce.

"Are you sure?" Roland leaned back in his seat, the mood around the table dropping dramatically.

"We broke into a house in Marome and found evidence suggesting it yes. Also, the man I'm talking about made an appearance and we overheard vague plans to find attack tonight." Luna's eyes narrowed and she looked between Roland and Jayce a few times.

"Ye came to warn her?" Jayce looked over at Luna and shook his head.

"I came to defend her."

"And yer friend 'ere, Argo fits in how?" Jayce looked across the table at Argo who stared back at him.

"I want to find the people that did this to Rose. I want to find them so it doesn't happen to anyone else. Weapons come in more forms than just swords and daggers. Sometimes the greatest weapon you can have is something far less tangible." Roland nodded sipping from his mug.

"Information, aye that's smart. Dangerous, but smart." Luna nodded as Roland spoke agreeing with the veteran.

"And ye agreed to such terms? Information brokers rarely care for individual concerns. What's yer stake in this?" Luna glanced back at Argo and the girl's mouth split into a wide grin.

"Besides the money? Jayce will owe me and that's worth quite a bit." Argo's usual demeanor began to show once more making Jayce more than a little nervous.

"I like this one. Keep her around ye hear?" Luna slapped Jayce's arm playfully laughing as she did.

"What's the plan then?" Roland had remained serious throughout the short bit of banter. Jayce regarded him and breathed in deeply.

"This man thinks he is catching Rose unaware. He doesn't know we're waiting for him. I say let him come and we'll end it here." Jayce answered and Roland nodded.

"I'm in. Prepare for the worst and if he's not alone then you'll need me." Roland reached his hand out and Jayce forced a smile shaking it.

"Eh, what's this then? If he's drawing blood then count me in as well." Luna quickly threw her hand forward wrapping her fingers around Jayce and Roland's hands as they shook.

"Short time and you've come a long way Alchemist. You're driven to save people now it seems. I expect it won't be long before you join the front lines trying to save everyone." Argo took another drink, her smile never wavering.

"That's not for me. I'll never be strong enough to save everyone."

"No?" The door behind them opened as Argo asked. Jemza and Rose stepped out of the room. The two women continued talking with one another exchanging laughs and smiles as the table watched on.

"I just want to be strong enough to save one." Jayce meant to say it inwardly, but it came out of his mouth. Argo didn't respond, but simply kept smiling while drinking from her cup.

"We're all set." Jemza said as her and Rose walked up next to the table.

"Good, we'll wait here until nightfall. Argo, you don't need to stay here any longer. After tonight I'll get in touch with you and we can take the next steps." Jayce motioned towards the brown hooded girl and she crossed her arms as he spoke. Argo survived not only by providing and gaining intelligence from other players, but also being the first to race around finishing quests to publish in her strategy guides. If he had to guess based off her physical appearance and style of play she was most likely an agility based character. With the speed and efficiency Argo possessed there was a good chance she didn't even have any combat skills.

"Thank you, but I'll decline the offer." Argo's words made Jayce twist towards her.

"What?"

"You don't think I'm capable of being of help tonight?" Jayce looked back at Jemza who looked as equally confused as he did.

"No, it's just going to be dangerous and an information broker probably isn't suited for what will happen tonight." As he spoke Argo stood up and pulled the hem of her cloak back away from her body. Her slender frame underneath the cloak was clad only in a pair of loose breeches and tunic. She wore no armor that Jayce could see, but on her left hip attached to the belt was a pair of claw looking weapons dangling.

"Are you worried about my safety Alchemist? Could it be the one you want to save…is me? We mustn't though. The employee employer relationship must never be crossed. However…the heart wants…what the heart wants!" Argo flipped her cloak causing it to flourish wildly in the air as the five people watching her stared in mixtures of confusion, curiosity, and from one of the five, annoyance.

"This isn't your fight Argo. We told you what happened with Artemis." Jayce, the one to whom the annoyance belonged, answered her dramatic proclamation.

"I've nothing better to do, and I will see this part through. Don't worry; I'm more than capable of defending myself. You'll be free to focus on what's important." Her whiskers twitched as she smiled and placed the palms of her hands on her hips.

"Thank you Argo." Jemza bowed slightly towards the girl. Both Jayce and she had their assumptions that Argo was a beta tester. If that was true then her experience would be invaluable. Furthermore, there was a strong chance that Argo was of significantly higher level that either of them. Whatever happened tonight very well may hinge on someone like Argo being present.

"Nyahaha! Argo the Rat at your service Miss White." Jayce put his head in his palms while the others laughed. It was hard for him to feel at ease or comfortable. There were too many unknowns still left to play out. In a few short hours they could all be dead. This, perhaps, would be their final moments with each other.

While in Rose's office, Jayce had explained everything to Argo and Rose. Argo had seemed equally concerned about the way Artemis fought as well as the abilities he possessed. She had confirmed that the debuff Jayce suffered when his hand was severed was not something that occurred until higher floors of Aincrad. Human type enemies also weren't around until floor three which she explained was home to the Dark Elves and Wood Elves. It only solidified his assumption that she was a former beta tester, but that was a conversation best left for another time.

This series of quests had already thrown human enemies at them. Human enemies that were so well programmed that they resembled actual players in skill and mannerisms. Why did such a series of quests exist? Was there a deeper purpose behind it that he couldn't quite understand? Those thoughts were what kept him from truly joining in on the amusement the others around him were enjoying. The Thieves Guild was showing them things far earlier than intended. The risks and opportunities were greater than normal. If each floor of this world helped prepare you for the next, what was the Thieves Guild preparing them for? Something in the back of his brain knew that these quests were more than just entertainment. They were a form of training, and the ultimate goal was still shrouded in mystery.

"I'll let the others know. I won't force anyone to stay, but if they insist then I won't argue. Thank you everyone. I am honored to have met you all." Rose walked along the side of the table touching each of them on the shoulder.

Was this all scripted? Just part of the quest? There must be certain restrictions or triggers in place that cause events to occur propelling the story forward. Jayce watched as Rose walked around to each person squeezing their shoulders. A pit formed in his stomach and the only thing that seemed to fill it was dread. Was it already preordained that Rose would die tonight? Jayce and Jemza came here to protect her. To save her. If Rose was programmed to die tonight, could he change her fate through willpower alone?

"We're gonna be ok." Jayce twitched slightly as Jemza leaned down and whispered in his ear. This morning and even last night he feared that this battle could be their last. The danger was far greater than anything they had encountered before. As he sat here in the Infiltrator's Den looking at the other members of the Thieves Guild his worries began to change into something different.

"I know." He reached back and patted the side of her leg as she stood behind him. He didn't know that for sure, but she needed him to be confident. That's why he remained silent about the ominous feeling beginning to suffocate him. Maybe Argo, Jemza, and he would see tomorrow. His eyes lingered on Roland, Luna, and Rose as they laughed and smiled with each other. Some of them, or all of them would be dead by morning.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

The digital readout in Jayce's peripheral vision ticked past eleven at night. He leaned against one of the wooden supports running from the floor to the ceiling behind the bar. These past hours had been some of the longest he could remember. Rose sat at a table near the front of the room with Jemza and Roland. Luna sat at a second table towards the north end of the room by herself. Argo sat atop the bar counter next to Jayce kicking her feet back and forth slowly. The rest of the tavern was empty, all other NPC's had vacated long ago.

"You sure about this Argo? You're valuable to people here." The girl placed her hands on the counter and pushed herself a bit closer so that her shoulder touched his arm.

"I'm what people call a solo player. My line of work tends not to compliment a group style of play very well. Playing solo is dangerous since you must rely purely on yourself to survive. In return you are afforded the freedom to go at your own pace, which tends to be quite fast. A lot of these types of players made up the group that took on the first floor boss." Argo continued to kick her legs as she spoke to Jayce next to her.

"Were you with them? What are they like?" The whiskers on her face twitched in response to his question.

"No, I do not fight on the frontlines. As for what they are like…I don't know all of them. The first floor boss fight went very well at first. A man named Diavel led the assault flawlessly. Through his leadership and direction they brought the boss down into a section where its tactics changed. The change involved the boss switching weapons and was well known from the beta. Unfortunately, the type of weapon the boss switched to was different now than in the beta. Only one player recognized the difference, but he didn't realize it until tragedy struck.

Diavel was cut down and killed before a warning could be issued. The young man who had tried to warn him rallied the rest of the party together and coordinated the final stretch that would lead to the boss's death. The first floor boss claimed only one player's life, but that was only the beginning. It was a solo player who rallied everyone together. After the dust settled people began to question his motives. He was a solo player, and a beta tester. That combination tends to make people think you are greedy and out purely for self gain. Many blamed him for Diavel's death. Why didn't he warn people sooner about the change from beta to the live version?"

"What did he do?" Jayce had never heard anything about the group that cleared the first floor. The fact that Argo was willing to share this amount of information with him without the usual banter about cost was something he was thankful for.

"In that moment the entire population of beta testers were at risk of being blamed for Diavel's death. The vast majority of players aren't beta testers and to be honest a lot of them have already died. Instead of celebrating the victory a headhunt was about to begin on all beta testers. The boy who killed the boss decided to shoulder the burden by himself. He claimed that the beta testers were below him and that he knew about everything all along, but chose to hide it." Jayce looked down at Argo incredulously.

"He lied?" Argo glanced up at him and nodded.

"Yes, to protect the other beta testers he chose to shoulder the weight of judgment."

"Why would he put a target on himself like that? He saved all those people." Jayce couldn't believe that someone would be willing to take such a risk. Not to mention so shortly after surviving the first floor boss battle.

"Because when faced with a choice between those you care about being harmed or your ability to endure it alone a person's true character shows. I now believe that you understand that kind of choice. So, you already know the answer to your question."

"This isn't like that Argo. I could never make a choice like that in the moment." Argo laughed quietly letting her legs relax.

"You just want to save Jemza, I understand that. If it were a blade to my throat, you would let me die?" The girl winked as he pursed his lips in response.

"Of course I wouldn't."

"Would you throw yourself in harm's way just for me?"

"Argo, seriously now is not the time…"

"I'm moments from death Jayce with a sword to my neck. We aren't lovers, family, or anything close so I'm asking you…would you let me die if it meant you would live." Jayce turned his head towards her sharply narrowing his eyes.

"No, I'd try to save you. Is that what you want to hear?" Argo smiled and placed her hand on his.

"I wasn't teasing you this time. I just wanted you to realize that you aren't as weak as you believe. Just because you aren't someone who fights on the front lines doesn't make you weak. Jemza notices that too." Jayce took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Solo player huh? Sounds lonely." Argo shrugged in response and started kicking her legs again.

"Sometimes, but an information broker must be free from sentimental relationships. If not she would be at risk of acting out of emotion rather than logic. Conflict of interest and all that." Jayce blew out a breath of air and slid his hand out from under hers.

"And here I thought we were friends." He put his arm around her shoulder and she chuckled.

"I never said I wasn't prone to breaking the rules." Another long wink followed her words and Jayce playfully pushed her away. Their smiles vanished as the door leading into the tavern slammed open suddenly. Both Jayce and Argo's hands reflexively dropped to their weapons. A man in leather armor strode into the room casually, a sword swaying on his hip. Behind him, six others in black hoods followed fanning out on his right and left.

"Rose Vermilion, you are a hard woman to find!" Kurt laughed while clapping his hands together a few times.

"Kurt Wagner, I see nothing has changed with you. Still hiding behind your friends." Rose spat back at him. Jayce watched as Jemza's hand slowly made its way towards her dagger. Kurt glanced around the room before clicking his tongue and shaking his head.

"This place needs some work. I expected a bit more from you. It looks like you were expecting me which is strange I'll admit, but these were the best you could bring? This doesn't have to get ugly. Why don't you and I take a walk together and catch up on old times." Kurt's teeth showed as he grinned. Jayce could feel his stomach turning with every word the man spoke.

"Over my dead body." Rose pushed herself up out of the chair and stood defiantly. Jemza and Roland did the same waiting for Kurt to make a move. Jayce glanced down at Argo and caught her eye. She gave the briefest of nods and slipped her hands into the folds of her cloak.

"Excuse me then." Jayce whispered and placed his hand on the counter beside her hips. She slowly shifted her weight and allowed his hand in between the counter and her thighs. Once he was ready she lowered herself once more so that she sat on his hand and waited.

"Your friends don't have to die here Rose. Aren't you tired of watching people die?"

"There's still a few people I'd like to watch die." Rose pulled her saber out and leveled it ahead of her body. Kurt sighed and looked at his group of people assembled beside him.

"You should have done what you were told. Things didn't need to be like this." The man gripped his sword and brandished it settling into a stance. The black hooded figures all produced various weapons ranging from daggers to swords. One held a hatchet looking weapon as well.

"Let's pick up where we left off Kurt, and make sure to give my regards to Artemis when you see him." Rose let a smile cross her face and for a brief moment Kurt's face twitched.

"Hmph, so you knew? How troublesome, but in the end all you've done is benefit me. Now, I don't need to pay the man for his services. Kill them all." Kurt took the first step forward and for Jayce, Jemza, and Argo their visions all changed. Three more health bars appeared in their group window. Rose, Luna, and Roland all became part of their group. Red bars of health filled above each of the black hooded figures heads with the name Blackhood Assassin accompanying each.

"Jayce…" Argo's voice trembled slightly as she stared at Kurt stalking forward slowly. Roland and Jemza prepared their weapons and Luna began moving towards them as well.

"What is it?" Kurt's health bar came into view showing two full rows of health. Jayce had never seen an enemy that had more than one bar of health. Under the bars was another oddity he had never seen. Kurt Wagner, Blade of the Blackhoods

"Multiple bars of health and a title. He is a boss level enemy Jayce." She tensed her legs and leaned forward slightly.

"Boss level?"

"Too late now, do it!" Argo threw her arms out of her cloak, a pair of claws extending from her fists. Jayce didn't hesitate on her command and pushed against her rear with all his strength. Argo the Rat was just like Jemza in her stat layout. She prioritized agility and maneuverability over all else. Her body was petite and light. Since she wore no armor it didn't take a lot of strength or effort to launch her forward. While her brown cloak fluttered wildly through the air Jayce pulled the sword Jemza had given him free and jumped the counter charging in behind her.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

"When the fighting breaks out, throw me."

"Excuse me?" Jayce stared at Argo oddly.

"What? Think I'm too heavy or something?" Argo crossed her arms angrily and Jayce quickly held his hands up while shaking his head.

"No, nothing like that, but I don't understand why."

"Agility type players rely on pinpoint precision and raw speed to overcome foes. You already know that activating sword skills engage the systems motion control right? Your character goes through the motions of the sword skill, assuming you don't cancel out of it, until it's finished." Argo explained as she hopped up onto the bar counter.

"Sure, I get that, but what does it have to do with throwing you?"

"Speed my friend. Just trust me and I'll show you when the time comes. Stand beside me here and when I give the signal put your hand under me and push as hard as you can." Argo grinned while watching the other people in the tavern taking up their positions.

"Alright, I'll go along with it."

"Oh, and no funny business like thinking you can get a quick handful." Jayce rolled his eyes while the girl next to him laughed. She had to be higher level than either him or Jemza. Whatever she wanted he was willing to concede if it helped survive the night. Living the life of a solo player meant she understood survival more than most. Considering she was also the foremost player clearing quests and exploring the floors made her irreplaceable.

Halfway over the counter Jayce watched now as Argo twisted her body midair so that she corkscrewed sideways. The brown cloak she wore fluttered wildly behind her once she adjusted her spin so that she now flew headfirst towards the nearest Blackhood Assassin. Once his feet hit the ground on the other side of bar, Argo threw both her arms forward, lights racing along the edges of her weapons and impaled the claws into the chest of the assassin. Her momentum drove the man to his back, the two sliding along the floor while Argo remained atop. Without waiting a moment further she tore the claws free and crossed both her arms in front of her chest. In one swift motion she threw her arms wide cutting across the man's throat.

She was efficient and brutal in equal parts. It made Jayce shiver briefly after seeing her initial strike. He was wrong to assume she couldn't hold her own in combat. She was every bit as capable as a pure combat oriented player. Argo said she didn't fight on the front lines with the other players who cleared the first floor, but she was most definitely the same caliber. This was what a front line player looked like. Someone who worked tirelessly to perfect their skills and talents while staying ahead of the pack. If she could be this devastating alone, how powerful were the rest of the front liners when grouped together?

The thought nearly cost Jayce his life and he had to twist his body awkwardly to dodge the hatchet aimed for his neck. The moment of surprise created by Argo was gone now. His focus shifted away from the curly brown haired girl and diverted solely to the man in front of him. The axe blade skimmed through the air once more as Jayce backpedaled out of reach. He raised the blade in a downward angle while pressing his left hand against the flat of the blade. The hatchet reversed momentum and came again sparking against Silence. Once the two weapons were locked together Jayce ducked slightly and turned sideways stepping forward into a shoulder charge that pushed the man back.

Silence glowed brightly and the games motion assistance kicked in. Using the sword skill Slant forced the man to parry at an angle that left his flank open. The weapons clanged loudly and as the skill completed he quickly dropped the blade lower and activated Horizontal. His sword drew a clean red glowing line across the Blackhood Assassin's hip staggering him. The hatchet slashed wildly making Jayce step away giving some room between the two.

It had been a clean hit, but the health bar only dropped about forty percent. It would take at least three solid blows to drop the enemy. Something that Jayce figured would not continue to be an easy task. Two of his sword skills were now on cooldown. In SAO, sword skills had a brief delay ranging from a few seconds to much longer depending on the strength of the skill. After executing one it would become unusable for the duration of the cooldown. This fact was not lost on the opponent who charged forward rolling the hatchet in his hand.

Fighting side by side with and NPC would normally feel a bit strange, but right now as far as Jemza was concerned she wasn't fighting beside an NPC. It didn't matter that she was created solely from lines of code and given life through means of computer programming. In this world, Rose was real, and she was a friend. The two women battled against Kurt and a dagger wielding Blackhood. Jemza worked her own dagger in a furious routine of slashes and thrusts meant to put the enemy off balance.

Weapons like daggers and rapiers didn't do as much damage as swords and axes traditionally. Their potential only showed when wielded by those with equal parts patience and accuracy. Where a sword or axe always did moderate damage, piercing weapons like her dagger would only do small amounts if wielded the same way. However, given their speed and accuracy a dagger or rapier wielder could unerringly strike an opponent's vital points for critical damage. It required high reflexes and dexterity, but I truly good dagger user or fencer could not only hold their own against swords and axes, but surpass them.

Every few breaths Jemza could feel Rose's shoulder brush against hers. The Blackhood Assassin wielding the dagger kept her occupied, but she stole a glance whenever possible to the woman next to her. Red hair whipped through the hair with each of her movements. The saber in her hands cut through the space between Kurt and her body parrying and riposting. The cheerful demeanor Rose normally carried was gone now. She was face to face with one of the people responsible for her husband's death.

"Switch!" Jemza shouted and Rose nodded. The two girls spun, their backs pressing against one another until their positions reversed. Their weapons immediately came to life, activating their respective sword skills while both Kurt and the Blackhood Assassin tried to compensate for their sudden change in opponent. Rose's saber slashed in a V using the Vertical Arc skill while Jemza drove her dagger forward with Wasp Sting.

Kurt reacted faster spinning his sword so that the tip of the dagger slammed against the flat of his blade. Until now he had been battling Rose who wielded a saber. A dagger functioned differently and before the fight even began Rose and Jemza had planned to fight like this in the hopes it would provide them some small bit of an advantage. Kurt would be far more dangerous than his henchmen and if Jayce had known about this plan beforehand he would have been against it. Surviving tonight meant putting everything on the line and so she hoped he would forgive her for taking this large kind of risk without him knowing.

Beside her, the first motion of Rose's attack pushed the Blackhood Assassin's arm down and away. Once her saber reached the lowest point of the V it flashed upwards catching the man in the chest. He fell backwards clutching at the wound desperate to fend off any follow up attacks. Kurt pushed his sword ahead forcing Jemza back. Rose quickly took a step back as well remaining next to her partner. Jemza gave silent thanks that Rose had ignored the urge to advance into the gap.

"Your mercenaries must have cost a pretty penny. I'm flattered you thought so highly of me." Kurt twirled the blade in his hand and leveled it once more.

They're not mercenaries." Rose answered drawing laughter from Kurt.

"Oh? Don't tell me these are people you care about?" Kurt waved the tip of his sword in a circle as if he were mocking the two. He gestured with his left hand and the wounded assassin nearby produced a small glass globe.

"What is that?" Jemza stared at the clear object; dark green liquid with swirls of yellow coated the inside. Was it a potion, or poison? Jayce had shown her a number of Mixing recipes, but this didn't seem familiar. She looked over her shoulder and saw Jayce locked in combat with one of the assassins. Argo had already engaged a second enemy while Luna and Roland stood together holding their ground against the last two.

"Two separate mixtures combined in an airtight container. Harmless individually, but when mixed they become something much different. Add one final ingredient and the liquid reacts violently." Kurt reached into a pouch on his belt and held out a similar item. Jemza's anxiety began to climb.

"What ingredient?" Kurt merely smiled at Jemza's question tossing the globe a few times in his hand.

"Oxygen." Both glass containers flew through the air towards the main bar in the center of the room. Rose wrapped her arms around Jemza and shoved her to the ground covering her body with her own.

An enormous explosion echoed within the tavern. The cacophony of noise was accompanied by a bright flash of light followed by the air within her lungs forcibly sucked out. Intense heat assailed her body as Rose tried to protect Jemza. The explosion combined with the bright light had left her unable to see straight or hear properly. Rose was yelling something, but her voice seemed so far away. The redhead was already pushing herself up while trying to get Jemza on her feet.

"Up…" Her head swirled as one word found purchase in her ears. Rose gripped her hand trying to pull Jemza up.

"Uuuuuh…" Why was the tavern so bright? The room looked like it was dancing.

"Get up!" Rose's frantic shouts brought Jemza back and a quick look around answered the question she had. Flames licked the wooden supports and walls all around the bar. Where the two glass containers had impacted was a large section of splintered wood with fires reaching up along the ceiling.

"Rose…it's on fire…" Her senses were slowly coming back online and Rose threw Jemza's arm over her shoulder.

"I know my dear come on I'll get you out of here."

"Jayce…"

"I'll get him, but first you." Jemza looked back where she had seen Jayce before, but now only flames were visible. Black smoke began to fill the tavern making it harder to see as time went on.

"So, you do care about these people?" Rose cried out and Jemza fell off her shoulder as Kurt jumped through a section of burning wood and stabbed his sword through Rose's shoulder. She slashed her saber in a wide uppercut, but only found smoke where he had been. Jemza rolled to her stomach and tried to push herself to her knees, but collapsed back to the ground. The bomb had caused some sort of condition prohibiting her from moving more than a crawl.

"What have you done?" Rose screamed over the sound of crackling wood and fire spinning around in a circle ready to defend herself.

"Come now Rose, you didn't really think I was simply going to kill you and be done with it? No, I want to take everything from you first. When you die I want you to know that everything you've ever loved or cared about is gone." The saber slashed into a patch of black smoke where she heard the voice, but it failed to connect with anything of substance.

The System refused to let her move or cry out. She was helpless for as long as the effects of the bomb remained. Jemza couldn't even reach out and grab Rose's ankle to try and warn her. The blade of a sword cut through the flames for Rose's back and all Jemza could do was watch.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

"Hey! Come on Alchemist, snap out of it!" Jayce blinked a few times as Argo's whiskered face finally came into focus.

"Argo? What happened?" He took the girl's hand and slowly sat up. The two toppled over to avoid a burning support beam from crushing them. They both climbed to their feet slowly looking around at the inferno still growing around them. Jayce found his sword nearby and retrieved it while Argo looked towards him.

"Dunno, never seen something like this before." As she spoke Jayce could see her cloak already torn in multiple places as well as a few bright red glowing lines along her body. Her hood had fallen away long ago and she showed no intention of fixing it now.

"You're…" Argo waved her hand and clicked her tongue to interrupt him.

"I'm fine. I can't see Miss White or the others." A quick glance at her health indicated she wasn't being completely honest. She was already down to fifty percent from the blast alone. Jayce and Jemza's were both below fifty, but the most concerning thing was that Rose, Luna, and Roland's had all disappeared from the list.

"Where are they?" Jayce scanned the room in fear while Argo pulled a vial from his belt.

"Drink this now. I'll be taking one as too." She pushed the vial towards his face while slipping another from his belt and lifting it to her own lips. Another section of ceiling collapsed a few feet away making the pair flinch reflexively.

"Jemza was closer to the front of the room. We find her and we'll find Rose. What happened to…" He trailed off seeing the body of the assassin he had been fighting slumped against the wall.

"The first one I killed was like that too. Didn't shatter and disappear like normal. His health was completely empty, but the body stayed. Not something we have time to ponder over right now." Argo grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the wreckage of the bar. He had been blasted clear over the top when the explosion went off. The fact that Argo found him was miraculous.

"Look out!" Jayce shoved Argo to the side and brought the blade of his Silence high intercepting a Blackhood Assassin's sword. The man weaved the blade in a series of slashes pushing Jayce's arm out and away. With one last movement Jayce lost his balance and stumbled to the side. The assassin's sword shifted and pierced through Jayce's stomach.

"Jayce!" Argo sprinted and dove at the man forcing the sword to slide free from Jayce's body. The assassin tried to raise his sword to keep the girl at bay, but Argo caught the blade of his sword in her palm pulling it harshly to bring him in close. Her health depleted a bit more from the blade cutting into her palm. The man's eyes widened in terror as Argo impaled him on her claw. She tore the weapon upward through his body, spinning as she did so and dropped down to her knee next to Jayce. She didn't need to look back to know he was dead before he even hit the ground.

"I'm alright, help me up." Argo looked at him and then the health bar in her group indicator. His health blinked rapidly and continued to drain slowly even though he had taken a potion.

"Poison…" Argo 's face turned to concern as she pulled his cloak open and began looking through the vials on his belt.

"Not high enough yet." The poison coursing through his body made it hard to speak and move, but not quite as difficult as if he had been inflicted with a Stun effect.

"Not high enough?" Argo dropped the hem of his cloak and he nodded once.

"I haven't unlocked the ability to make antidotes yet. Can't be helped." The brown haired girl tightened her mouth and grabbed his arm helping him back to his feet.

"We need to get you out of here and fast." She slipped the claws onto her belt and reached around his back to help him walk.

"No, we have to find Jemza first." He argued, and Argo pulled him along beside her roughly.

"You won't make it that long without an antidote. I can get you help, but we need to get you out of here first. Then I will come back for Miss White." His health drained a very slow pace thanks to his potion countering the damage over time, but every few seconds it still would drop a percentage point. Unless he drank an antidote potion it would continue until it killed him.

"Thanks for the help." Jayce said while reaching up to pull his hood back too. The heat of the room was overbearing and more sections of wall and ceiling broke free crashing to the ground.

"I didn't see it coming. That blow was meant for me and would have hit if not for you. I guess you weren't just talk when I asked what you would do if a sword were to my throat." Argo forced a smile, her painted whiskers rising slightly with her cheeks.

"Yeah, well I'm your valuable employee right?" Jayce patted her shoulder as she helped him over a piece of burning wood. She shook her head and kept forcing him forward towards the front of the tavern.

"No…we're friends."

Rose turned as Kurt's sword cut into her side drawing another red line and making her fall to a knee. Jemza had managed to get to her hands and knees nearby. Her fingers clutched the dagger tightly and she turned the weapon, pushing the point into the wood below her. She leaned on the hilt trying to push her body further upward. Rose breathed heavily and coughed against the smoke still slashing her sword wildly through open air.

"You're all going to die here. You know that don't you? None of you really stood a chance. Deep down I'm sure you knew that Rose. Yet, you chose to involve these innocent people." Kurt's voice floated through the air while he still continued to hide within the smoke.

"No…we're not." Rose stood and readied herself again.

"Yes, you are." Jemza's mouth opened to scream, but no sound would come out. Rose's back arched and her saber fell from her grasp as Kurt pushed his sword through her back and out her chest. She looked at Jemza, tears welling up in her eyes and reached towards her. Jemza finally made it to her knees and tried to reach for her as well. With a cry of pain the blade retracted, and Kurt grabbed her and spun her around. He sneered and grabbed her by the throat before throwing her across the room where she landed motionless.

"You…" Jemza glared at Kurt who laughed and waved his sword menacingly.

"Like I said, you're all going to die here. It's a shame really to lost two beautiful women like you. I fear time is running out for this place so I must say goodnight and goodbye. It's been a pleasure." Kurt rolled the sword once as he approached. He raised the weapon high and slashed down at Jemza. The sound of metal on metal called out over the roaring fires as Jemza held her dagger high with both arms blocking his strike. The man's smile wavered as she slowly pushed his weapon higher and she rose to her feet. Her arms shook violently and with one final shove she pushed him back a step.

"We're not done." Jemza shook her head to try and clear the remaining effects of the bomb away and crouched low reversing her grip on the dagger.

"Ah, still some fight left eh? If you insist…" Kurt advanced suddenly slashing his sword in a large figure eight rotation. Jemza jumped letting the first pass of the weapon sail under her body and as it came back her dagger slapped the blade aside. The moment her feet hit the ground she kicked off once more tucking into a flip that brought her towards his flank. She sent the dagger out as she passed but he turned his body away and it only caught a small section of his shirt.

The momentum of the jump put Jemza behind him and she had to lower a hand to the ground for stability so she could spin back towards Kurt. He was ready for her and positioned his sword at an angle that caught her next stab high on the blade sending it skipping wide. The pommel of the sword raced up catching her under the chin. He let go of the handle so the blade rotated free in the air and caught it once more while Jemza reeled backwards cutting shallow cut across her arm.

"Just a reminder that I could kill you whenever I want." Again, he waved the sword sarcastically while Jemza reached up and touched her shoulder. It's true that he was too high a level for her to handle alone. At this rate it was only a matter of time before he whittled her down and ended it. That didn't mean she couldn't try.

"Jemza!" Her head turned towards Jayce's voice seeing him through the flames. Her fear increased as she saw Argo helping him walk which meant he was injured. At least they were alive and that helped to battle the fear down.

"Take Rose! Get her out of here!" Jemza pointed towards where Kurt had thrown her. She saw his face and knew what was coming next.

"We need to get out of here!" His shout was completely reasonable and the logical course of action, but the man who stood ahead of her smiling had to be stopped here and now.

"T…take Rose, and get out of here!" The flames separating them were too large now. Even jumping through them would be deadly. There was nothing left for her now, but to fight. Argo stared at her and even from this distance Jemza could tell that the girl understood.

"You heard the lady come on" Argo pulled Jayce as he fought against her.

"No! We're not leaving her! Let me go!" Jayce thrashed wildly, but as he suspected Argo was higher level and stronger than her frame showed. Her iron vice like grip kept him in place to the point where she was literally dragging him.

"Miss White can handle herself. You don't have the luxury of time on your side." Argo renewed her efforts forcing Jayce towards where Rose lay in a heap on the ground.

"Jemza! Don't! Get off me Argo!" The brown haired girl let his arm go and sent her palm across his face. The audible slapping noise temporarily made him stop and stare at her in shock.

"It's not always about you and what you want Alchemist! You are dying and she is trapped! She recognizes the situation and is giving us the time to escape. Don't insult her sacrifice by selfishly ignoring her request." They could see the door a few dozen feet away that would lead out into the tunnel. He looked back at Jemza who stared back at him.

"Promise me you'll go back for her." Jayce spun on Argo who matched his gaze.

"I promise, now help me get Rose." Argo helped Jayce towards the fallen woman and he slowly knelt down, picking her up in his arms. Argo kept him steady with her small arm around his back. Jemza watched and felt a sense of relief as they began moving towards the door.

"They won't make it fifty feet before I finish you and meet them out there. This is just delaying the inevitable." Kurt faked a yawn while speaking.

"We're surrounded by fire. We're not going anywhere." Jemza answered still keeping an eye on the trio that just reached the door. Jayce glanced back at her, pain etched on his face before throwing the door open and exiting. She had wanted to scream for them not to leave her, but it would have meant death for everyone. This was the only way and there was a sense of comfort in her head.

This last month trapped in SAO had been a nightmare for nearly everyone here. Jemza had felt differently from the moment she logged in. This had been the experience of a lifetime. In this world she managed to find everything she dreamed of. Become someone she only imagined. SAO made her strong and able to rise above her inadequacies in the real world. She had friends like Argo and Rose, and found love for the first time in her life. She wouldn't trade any of it for freedom.

"Shall we?" Kurt held the point of the sword towards her and she took a deep breath fighting not to cough against the smoke. Jemza lowered her stance, holding the dagger across her forearm and nodded.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

The moment they hit the concrete floor of the tunnel, Argo let Jayce go and opened her menu. Her hands flew across the holographic keyboard as she sent a message to an unknown contact. Without her support Jayce stumbled forward and fell to his knees. He slowly set Rose's body down looking over her body. She had multiple injuries that seemed mostly minor, but the large glowing wound on her chest was the worst. She didn't seem to be breathing or even alive which only cause more confusion. NPC's still looked alive and breathed like real people, but whenever any living creature died it shattered and disappeared. None of the assassins or Rose had done so, their bodies remaining behind.

"You have five minutes, maybe one or two more, but that's it. Stay here and wait for my contact to arrive. They will have your antidote and don't worry about the cost I will handle it. I'm going back in for Miss White you do what you can for her." Argo closed the menu and turned back towards the stairs that would lead back down to the tavern.

"She's dead Argo, what do you want me to do?" The girl stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

"Katie was dead too wasn't she? Did you give up on her so easily?" She turned and ran down the stairs leaving him alone. He had forgotten that he had told her the story of his sister and mother. The reasons why he had been so afraid and the source of his pain. For the briefest of moments he hated Argo for using his sister like this, but she was right. He never gave up on Katie, and he wouldn't give up now.

Jayce moved around to the side of Rose and tilted her head back leaning down so his ear was near her mouth. He felt no air coming out and he sat up placing a palm a few inches above her sternum. His other hand clasped over the top of his palm and he began pushing rapidly. After thirty compressions he pinched her nose shut and covered her mouth with his own breathing into her lungs twice. He listened for breath and when he heard nothing again he repeated the process again.

Anyone watching would think the scene looked ridiculous. Not only was this a video game, but the woman was an NPC. Performing CPR in the SAO was a pointless endeavor. When someone died they disappeared and that was it. No dramatic death sequence or final words as their heart finally stopped. A brief flash of light followed by the shattering of their bodies was death in SAO. Nevertheless, Rose's body was still here and logic didn't matter anymore.

"Breathe!" Jayce shouted down at her in between breaths before going back to pumping her chest. Around the tenth compression he had an idea and quickly pulled a vial off his belt. He opened the top and slowly tilted the vial towards the woman's lips. Once the liquid had been poured into her throat he massaged her neck slowly to help it down into her body.

"Jayce!" Argo reappeared at the top of the stairs looking panicked as he returned to compressing Rose's chest.

"Where's Jemza?"

"The door…it won't open!"

Jemza slid on her knees bending backwards as the sword cut through the air above her face. She twisted and pushed up with her legs spinning back to her feet in time to slash her dagger low, parrying another strike from Kurt. More of the ceiling had collapsed nearby making them both stumble. Even off balance Jemza used to opportunity to launch herself towards the man letting her dagger tip lead the way. The weapon cut across his thigh and he stared down at the wound in disbelief while they both found their footing.

"You have spirit, I'll give you that." Kurt gave a laugh while he spoke and with good reason. His first health bar hadn't even reached halfway while Jemza was still below half from the initial explosion and the light hit he managed on her. The last potion she had was slowly ticking her health up, but a clean hit from the man would finish her.

"You love the sound of your voice don't you?" Jemza spat back circling the man slowly. His mouth split into a grin and he shrugged nonchalantly.

"I suppose I do." The moment his sentence ended he exploded forward, his sword cutting through the air faster than Jemza could see. The only course she had was to dive aside. If she couldn't see his attack then she couldn't parry properly and as an agility based character she worked better dodging rather than parrying.

"Ah!" Halfway through her dive, a hand wrapped around her arm and threw her to the ground with a crash. Kurt had moved far faster than she originally thought and caught her midair. As her back hit the wood she threw her arm forward with the dagger defensively, but Kurt was already atop her grabbing her wrist and pinning it to the ground.

"Now what'll you do?" Kurt laughed again and dropped his sword so that he could use his main hand to grasp around her neck. She thrashed her legs and tried to buck him off, but his grip tightened and he pulled her head up and slammed it down hard causing black spots to appear in her vision.

"No!" Terror now began to fill Jemza's mind as Kurt slowly crushed her throat. She felt her body being pushed along the ground and only now realized he was sliding her towards a large swath of fire. Her eyes widened and she kicked again trying to free herself.

"Shhhh…it's alright. It'll be over soon. You like fire don't you? Of course you do, everyone likes fire. Man's greatest invention." Kurt inched her closer, bashing her head once more as she struggled. Most of the strength had gone out of her body from her head being hit. The fire was dangerously close now and the heat was almost unbearable.

"Stop…" Her fists bounced off his arms weakly and he lifted her a third time before shoving her down into the ground. Her arms went slack, the dagger falling from her grasp.

"If you had just been obedient this wouldn't have happened. Now you'll pay the price for what you've done." Kurt laughed and Jemza's whole body shook with fear. She had heard those words before. In her eyes, Kurt was no longer atop her, but Shinji Hasegawa. She was back in her bed pinned down by the boys while he tortured her. That night was replaying over again almost exactly as it had before. She was too weak to fight against Shinji and so he stabbed her, punched her, and ultimately left her for dead. This was no different as Kurt grabbed her by the front of her armor and lifted her onto her knees.

She couldn't see the burning tavern anymore. All she saw was the church that she grew up in doused in flames. The screams of children nearby who would die in those flames because of what Shinji did. She was too weak to save herself, so what chance did they have? It didn't matter that her health bar had dipped into the red. Shinji was going to kill her this time. There wouldn't be a miraculous escape like before. At least Argo and Jayce got Rose out.

"I would give anything for my husband. Even my life if it brought him back." After Jayce, Argo, and Jemza explained everything to Rose, she had remained in the office with the redhead to talk more.

"I can't imagine that pain." Jemza leaned on Rose's desk lowering her head.

"I pray you never have to. Jayce is very much like my husband. He may not look it, but there is a strong will inside him. A determination that seems to have a limitless supply of fuel. My husband was the same and only after he was gone did I understand what that fuel was." Rose came around the desk and sat on the edge near Jemza.

"What was it?" Rose smiled and ran a hand through Jemza's hair.

"Me. Everything my husband did, he did for me. I never truly understood how he could be so determined to succeed. What could drive a man to such lengths regardless of the risk involved? The answer, was me."

"Then…" Jemza tried to formulate a response, but the words failed to materialize in her head. Rose chuckled and removed her hand from Jemza's hair.

"After he was gone not only did I understand, but I also found that my own strength and desires were fueled by him. My husband is dead, but he lives inside me, just as Jayce lives inside you and you inside him. Death does not snuff that flame out. I know he understands just how lucky he is to have you, but what about you? Have you realized just how equally lucky you are?" Jemza looked up at the woman sitting before her. Up until last night Jemza hadn't realized it, but now?

"I do, and I won't let it go." Rose smirked and hopped of the desk, taking a knee beside Jemza.

"Why?"

"Because I need him."

"And?" Jemza took a deep breath and turned towards Rose.

"Because he needs me."

Jemza's eyes flashed open and her hands wrapped around Kurt's wrists as he held her precariously over the fire. Rika wasn't strong enough to stop Shinji all those years ago. Rika wasn't a fighter and so she had become a victim. Kurt's eyes widened as she tore his hands free from her neck slowly pulling them apart. Rika was weak…but Jemza wasn't.

"You killed her! Jemza slammed her forehead into Kurt's face staggering him back. One of his hands broke free and he balled his fist, sending it towards her face. Jemza turned and lifted her arm so that it hooked over his fist. She leapt up, using his arm momentum to pull her body up off the ground and spun her legs up around his neck. Her weight pulled him down onto his back and she wrenched his arm hard between her legs until a loud cracking noise echoed followed by Kurt's voice screaming in pain.

"You tried to kill my friends!" She lifted a boot and kicked it into the side of Kurt's head as he clutched at his broken arm. He scrambled to his hands and knees, but Jemza was already behind him and placed a knee against the small of his back while grabbing his hair. She picked up her dagger nearby and flipped it through her fingers, driving it up into the armpit of his good arm. His howls of pain did nothing to stop her from ripping the blade free and piercing it into the back of his legs one after the other. She had crippled his limbs and she pushed his face down into the wooden planks of the floor.

"You were going to kill Jayce!" She rolled the man over roughly and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He stared up at her stupidly from the damage she had inflicted. Jemza held the dagger over him, but then slid it back into the sheath on her hip.

"Uuuhn…" Kurt mumbled through the Stun as Jemza lifted him higher and slid his body back a few inches.

"Now, I'm going to kill you. You like fire don't you? Of course you do? Everyone likes fire." Once more Kurt screamed as Jemza shoved his head into the inferno. His body convulsed, but she pushed with all her strength forcing him deeper into the flames. Ten seconds was all it took until his body stopped moving beneath her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she pushed herself up off his body. She used her foot to push the body the rest of the way into the fire and stood watching as it burned.

"That's for you Himeko." Jemza turned and looked around as more beams fell from the ceiling. She couldn't even see the door anymore; the flames had grown so high. A wall nearby was clear from flames and she stumbled over falling onto her rear next to it. She leaned against the wall taking as deep a breath as she could against the smoke. She managed a smile while looking down at her clothes which were now covered in burns and ash. She laughed just thinking what her hair must look like.

"I did it Jayce. Did you see me?" She asked out loud watching the fires close in around her. He had to be safe by now. With Kurt dead they were safe and no one would come after them. A swell of pride filled her and she closed her eyes content with what had happened.

"I saw ye." Her eyes opened as a figure tumbled through the fires. Wrapped in a thick black cloth, Luna Duskmantle threw the tapestry aside and dropped next to Jemza. The white haired girl could only stare at the woman.

"H…how?"

"Got meself trapped under a beam. Can't see anything in this fire and the smoke is too thick. I saw ye fight and turn the tables of that bastard just as I freed me legs. Good on you lass. Now, come on let's get you home." Luna pulled Jemza to her feet and retrieved the singed tapestry.

"We can't…the fire, it's too much." Jemza looked at the woman who patted her cheek.

"This'll get you through. That way lass and you'll find the door. Be quick about it to yea?" Jemza shook her head swiftly.

"No, we both…"

"Hey! Don't ye be worrying about me. Yer man's waiting for you out there. Ye got a responsibility to get to him. I have a responsibility to get to me own." Jemza followed her gaze towards another large section of fire and cringed.

"Roland? I didn't know you two…"

"I said don't ye be worrying about me. You done right by us tonight lass. Done right by ever one of us. You go now and get back to Jayce. Ye give him a big kiss and tell him it's from me. Ye can see a right funny face if ye do." Jemza wanted to laugh with her, but she could tell that Luna was hiding the pain inside. If Jemza had to guess, Roland was already dead. Jemza gritted her teeth and quickly pulled Luna close hugging her tight.

"Ok, go find him and bring him out we'll be waiting." Jemza lied and Luna knew it, but the woman smiled patting her cheek once more.

"Aye, we'll be out shortly. Yer one pretty lass Miss Jemza. Pretty inside and out." Jemza wrapped the cloth around her body tightly with the help of Luna and with one last look back dove through the fires ahead. Just like Luna said the door came into view and Jemza quickly threw the burning cloth aside before the fires could reach her body. She grasped the handle and looked back towards where Luna had been and closed her eyes.

"Goodbye, and thank you." She opened the door and left the tavern to collapse under the weight of the fires.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

Rose gasped for air while Jayce helped her sit up. Relief flooded through him as she continued to suck down large gulps of air. She looked around finding Jayce next to her and quickly threw her arms around his neck. She began trembling and he could tell that she was crying hard. Jayce placed his hands on her back still fighting back his own desire to run after Argo. The girl had returned to the door trying to force it open, whether she had succeeded he didn't know.

"Thank you." Between sobs Rose managed to say those two words, but Jayce didn't know how to respond. Jemza was still inside and he hadn't seen Luna or Roland since the explosion.

"This is becoming a habit." Jayce looked up as a man approached through the tunnel. Jayce shook his head with a sigh and waved a hand once Rose separated.

"I should have guessed. Not many Mixers out there and based off what I saw you're the best right now." Jayce reached out and shook PoH's hand.

"Here, take it quick. What happened out here?" Jayce took the vial of blue liquid from the man and looked back towards the stairs leading down towards the tavern.

"It's kind of a long story. I didn't know you and Argo were friends." PoH's face never shifted from the neutral demeanor he had.

"We're not, but I understand the value of information and like her or not, she's the best. Besides, having Argo the Rat owe me a favor is one of the most valuable things one can have. Where's Jemza?"

"I'm here." Holding onto Argo's shoulder Jemza appeared at the top of the stairs. Jayce dropped the empty vial and ran to her. Argo helped her onto his shoulder while Rose slowly got to her feet and joined them.

"I want to yell at you." Jayce looked over Jemza's body seeing her armor and clothes torn in many places.

"Yeah." She grinned in response mimicking the conversation they had so long ago when hunting the Little Nepenthes.

"We'll settle up later Rat." PoH said quietly as he walked past Argo. The girl nodded once watching as he walked away from them. She turned her attention back towards the trio of people hugging each other and let out a large breath of air.

"There he was…trapped amidst the burning wreckage! I fought to keep the eight…no ten assassins at bay while Jayce struggled to free himself!" Jayce, Jemza, and Rose looked over at Argo as she threw herself into her story. Another over exaggerated story that Jayce knew would most likely end with him looking foolish.

"Argo…never change." Jemza laughed reaching her arm out to Argo could join them.

"Roland and Luna?" Rose looked towards Jemza and she shook her head sadly.

"Luna got me out. If it wasn't for her I never would have made it, but she…she stayed behind." The happiness between them vanished and Rose closed her eyes taking a deep breath while nodding.

"Stayed behind for Roland right?" Rose asked and Jemza looked away.

"Yeah." Jayce swallowed and looked back towards the tunnel. He shook the girls shoulders and motioned towards it.

"Come on, it's late. Let's go eat and get some rest."

"Even me?" Argo looked up at him flashing a smile.

"Against better judgment, yes you too."

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up. There's something I need to do before we leave." Rose moved towards the seal on the wall that usually unlocked the way to the Infiltrators Den. The plaque was dull now, with no sign of functioning as it once did.

"You sure?" Rose turned to face Jayce as he asked and managed to smile.

"I won't be long. I can find you so please, give me a moment." With one more moment of hesitation they turned and began walking away. Rose watched until they were out of sight before reaching up to the plaque. She ran her fingers over the etching slowly.

"A bond of blood will light your path" She read the inscription out loud and began pressing on the letters. The ones she touched depressed into the stone until only a few remained visible.

Andol Hurth was the series of letters left behind and the plaque rumbled after a few moments. It shifted into the side of the tunnel and lowered into a depression revealing a chest set into a carved out section. Rose reached up and pulled the chest out cradling it in her arms. She forced another smile and pressed another depression in the carved out section that caused the plaque to move back into its previous position. The letters on the plaque extended back to how they were.

"One step closer to avenging you my husband. I think you would have loved those two if you had been able to meet them. I'll see you soon enough, thank you Andol, for being my fuel." Rose turned and walked away following the path the other three had already left.

"This might sell for quite a bit of money." Argo rolled onto her stomach from the bed she was on giving a wink.

"I agree. First thing tomorrow I'm planning on selling the fact that Argo the Rat spent the night in my bed with two other women." Jayce returned her wink and the girl faltered for a second. She pushed herself up with her hands so that her top half was higher than the rest.

"Hey! That's…that's not funny! You wouldn't!" Argo's curly hair shook rapidly as her own game turned around on her. She had removed her cloak allowing her hair free from the usual confines she kept it in.

"He would." Jemza laughed taking a drink from a cup Rose poured liquid into. The four were in the biggest room they could find at an Inn in Urbus. Jayce felt that for one night it was worth spending more than usual.

"Don't worry Miss Argo; I will be gentle with you." Rose lifted the wine to her lips and sipped it and then raised the glass towards the girl on the bed.

"Gentle? N…no, that's…" The redness that covered her whiskered cheeks couldn't be hidden by her cloak this time and she buried her head into the bed to hide.

"Here, this is for you. I made a promise and you were worth every coin." Rose tossed a bag onto the bed making Argo look up. She opened it and her eyes widened substantially.

"Are you certain? This is quite a bit of money." Jayce was surprised Argo showed any concern at all about the amount. He figured her greedy nature would show right away, but perhaps there was more to the girl than she let on.

"Absolutely. Thank you for everything." Argo placed the money into her inventory and nodded.

"You're welcome."

"As for you two, these used to belong to my husband and I. If you haven't already figured it out, we used to be with the Blackhoods. That story is for another time, but you'll find these to be useful. They are given to high ranking members and when worn in combination with the masks I gave you will enhance your skills." Rose held out a pair of long black cloaks. The edges were trimmed in a dark shade of red with iron studs riveted into the cloth.

"What do you mean our skills?" Jemza asked while flipping the cloth over her shoulders.

"Wear those and no one will see you coming." As Rose spoke Jemza tapped the cloth and opened the window that should the properties. It was called a Cloak of the Night, and increased the wearers Hiding skill by a flat thirty percent. It meant that if normally their Hiding dipped to seventy percent the cloak would boost them to the max.

"Amazing, thank you Rose."

"Thank you." Both Jemza and Jayce said their thanks and bowed their heads towards her. Argo had hopped off the bed and was peering over Jayce's shoulder while he looked at the cloak.

"Lastly, this belonged to my husband as well. I want you to have it. You see, we were just like you both except I preferred the long blade like Jayce. Andol, on the other hand, enjoyed the dagger, like you Jemza." Rose held the scabbard of a long dagger forward towards Jemza who took it tentatively. Argo quickly shifted positions so she was behind Jemza.

"That thing shouldn't be here Miss White. That's too strong for floor two." Argo whispered in her ear and she couldn't deny it. The statistics on the weapon not only surpassed her own dagger, but were higher than Jayce's new sword. Their weapons would serve them for a long time and that wasn't even taking into account if they had a smith upgrade them.

"I don't know what to say Rose." Jemza set the dagger down on the couch next to her and fell forward into Rose's arms hugging her tightly.

"Neither do I my dear. I am so very lucky to have met you all." Argo and Jayce smiled as the two women embraced. Argo wrapped her arms around Jayce's neck and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"It's just so…beautiful." Argo faked a sniffling sound and he reached up prying her arms off.

"The dagger?" The girl nodded while continuing to pretend like she was crying.

"It's worth so much col!"

"You just got a huge bag of it! Just how greedy are you?" Jayce turned and stared at her incredulously.

"Interested in knowing more about me eh? Ten thousand col and I'll tell you anything you want to know!" Argo leaned forward close to his face her mouth widening into a grin.

"You think you're worth ten thousand col? I wouldn't pay a tenth of that!" Jayce matched her stare and she reached up and pushed his cheeks together.

"Nyahaha! If you don't pay then you'll never know! I could be persuaded to lower the cost because of our close friendship of course." Rose and Jemza watched in amusement as Jayce deflated.

"I hate you…" Argo merely kept smiling and released his face.

"We have a long time together; you'll learn to love me." Argo spun on her heel and leapt back up onto the bed. Jemza stood up quickly and turned towards Jayce.

"I almost forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Jayce watched as she approached and pulled him up so that he stood before her.

"Luna wanted to give you this." Jemza pulled his face and pressed her mouth against his. Rose cheered wildly and Argo lifted the blanket to cover her eyes, blushing once more. Once Jemza pulled back most coherent though had escaped Jayce's head.

"Wha…"

"Luna was right, that really is a funny face."


	48. Chapter 48

**Epilogue**

 **December 9** **th** **2022**

"What's the plan for Argo now?" Jemza walked along the road of Urbus lifting her arms up towards the sky. After a long night of laughter and fun it was nice to finally take some time to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

"Me? Well, the front liners won't stay idle for much longer. I would expect a meeting in the near future to discuss the floor boss." The shorter girl, wrapped in her usual brown cloak walked beside Jemza.

"It hasn't been long since this floor was opened. You think they would try for the next so soon?" Jemza stopped which made Argo do the same.

"They have momentum on their side. They only lost one player during the first floor boss, and that death was avoidable. Hubris killed him, not the game." Argo looked up at Jemza who nodded slowly.

"I see, well I think it's great that there are people like them. How do you think they'll fare this time? I assume this boss is much tougher?" Jemza located a bench nearby and guided Argo towards it so the two could sit.

"They have a strong group of players who are all determined to succeed. Granted their ambitions and reasoning for that determination varies, but the end goal is the same. The real challenge will be keeping everyone unified." Argo sat down and kicked her legs out so she could lean back on the bench, her head pointed up towards the sky.

"What's the next floor like?" Jemza followed suit and reclined back so that the two girls looked upwards together.

"What makes you think I would know anything about the next floor?" The final word came out with a bit of laughter from Argo and Jemza grinned.

"Come on, what's the cost? I want to know."

"Hmm…well, I suppose I might know a little bit about it. It's home to the dark elves and forest elves. They are at war with one another and that is the general focus of the floor. Most everything revolves around that conflict." Argo relented and Jemza elbowed her gently.

"Argo the Rat giving out information for free? Are you getting soft?" Argo laughed and shook her head slowly.

"Maybe I am. There are a lot of things I have to do alone. Mapping out the new floors, locating and completing all the quests, and detailing anything hidden from the beaten path. That being said, once it's done and I finish my guide on the floor, it's nice to have people to talk to. Times like this aren't something to take for granted you know?" Argo turned her hood towards Jemza who nodded.

"You're always welcome to join us. If you're lonely or just need someone to talk to, we're here." Jemza turned and met her eyes.

"Thanks Miss White. I might just take you up on that from time to time. I'll be careful not to intrude too much. I would hate to walk in while you're…" Argo's vision went black as a cloth was shoved over her head causing her to flail about wildly.

"This girl is talking about unnecessary things again." Jayce pulled the hem of his cloak to remove it from her face. Argo sat forward pretending to gasp for air.

"You could have killed me Alchemist! If I were to die now how would our relationship continue to blossom?" Argo dropped her face into her open palms.

"Relationship?" Jemza turned towards Jayce with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't encourage her!" Jayce quickly scolded Jemza who held back her laughter.

"Forbidden love! Employee and employer caught in a web of emotions, and yet my innocent heart can't hold back from its desires!" Argo sat up suddenly and threw her arms out wide before clutching them to her chest. Her head slowly turned towards Jayce, a mischievous smile plastered on her lips.

"Come here Argo."

"No, I'm good…"

"I just want to talk to you."

"Really…I'm alright by Miss White."

"I just want to talk."

"No…really I don't want to.

"I just want to kill you."

"Noooo!" Argo leapt off the bench rolling behind Jemza while Jayce tried to corner her. Willpower wasn't enough to stop the laughter come from Jemza. She held her stomach fighting to breathe while Jayce and Argo circled around her.

"Them?" Two men stood on a rooftop using a chimney as cover while looking down at the trio.

"Yes."

"You're kidding right? Talk about irony." His voice bordered on mockery and laughter. The shield on his back and axe strapped to his waist shifted as he put his back against the chimney.

"Because you tried to kill them? You have bigger things to worry about. The next floor will be important. It houses the quest line that allows players to form guilds. The front liners are already at each other's throats." The second man answered as if he were scolding his partner.

"Yeah, yeah I know. I'll make sure they tear each other apart. I just don't know why you're so interested in them." The axe wielder motioned towards Jayce, Jemza, and Argo who were still scrambling around one another.

"They found something unique with the Thieves Guild. Almost like an accelerated version of what it prepares you for. That's why I've taken an interest in them. If they can succeed, I think they will prove invaluable to us as time goes on. The man down there, Jayce, I think he's begun to understand, but his partner? I don't believe Jemza has quite latched onto what the true purpose of those quests are."

"Oh? And what exactly is it that the Thieves Guild prepares you for?" The tattered edges of the man's chainmail coif jingled as he crouched down. The man next to him did the same, his brown poncho settling onto the roof below his feet. He ran a finger over the edge of a vial attached to his belt, blue liquid spinning slowly within.

"To kill other players."

 **Authors Notes: Hello everyone and thank you for reaching the end of this part of the story. I have no actual clue who has read the whole thing from start to finish, but it has been very enjoyable to write this. I was inspired to write it after purchasing and reading the SAO Progressive series. I enjoyed the original light novels, but Progressive expanded the Aincrad arc so much further and (in my opinion) really brought the world to life. Kirito and Asuna felt so much more real and the addition of "system glitches" or "oddities" within the game drew me in.**

 **It became apparent that SAO wasn't a black and white system, but one that could adapt and potentially change based off simple things like a player's demeanor. So, I set out to write my own story in that world. The rules I put in place for myself before I began was that I would not interfere with the canon story in any way, and that I would stay true to the Progressive timeline. The liberties I decided to take would be with some of the lesser known characters who never get much time in the spotlight.**

 **Argo, always intrigued me as an information broker. On the outside she seems greedy, and yet she toils endlessly to create guides for players to help keep them safe. She does it all for free asking nothing in return. There are brief times in Progressive that a softer side of her breaks through. Emotions like fear, happiness, and a longing for friendship. She can hold her own against people like Kirito and Asuna in a fight, but she also knows how to let loose and enjoy life through ridiculous antics. I knew from the beginning that she would be the biggest supporting character in the story.**

 **PoH was trickier as there is nearly nothing known about him as a player. I won't spoil anything for people who haven't read SAO novels, but PoH is a major player. For those who know him, then the earlier portions of this story might seem contradictory to his character as we know him, but I promise you, there's no contradiction. I will do right by his original conception.**

 **Now, I have to decide if I want to begin the next part of the story attached here or start fresh. I feel that with people following/favoriting this one that I should just keep going here. I'll take some time to think about what would look and read best. Thank you for reading and I do appreciate the reviews I receive. Until next time.**

 **-V**


	49. Chapter 49

Hello everyone. I decided to simply continue on with this current story and attach all subsequent arcs here. I think it would be best to keep it all together. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as it unfolds.

 **Sword Art Online**

 **Growing Shadows**

 **Prologue**

 **December 14** **th** **, 2022**

"Do you have everything ready?" Across the room a young woman stood in front of a mirror while reaching behind her head pulling her white hair into a ponytail. She slid a hair tie down her hand so that it wrapped tightly around the hair holding it in place.

"I think so, we can always come back if there's something down here we need." Answering her question, the man opened his system menu and began scrolling through his inventory.

"You're sure about the timing for today?" The woman in front of the mirror turned around facing the third and final person in the room who was sprawled out on the bed.

"Don't you worry Miss White; my contacts are there right now. They don't know how to fail." She ended with a wide smile, her curly hair bobbing around as she rolled onto her stomach.

"Where did Rose say she would be meeting us again?" A black studded cloak materialized over the man's back as he walked towards his partner by the mirror. She tapped her chin a few times in response trying to recall the information they had been told days ago.

"Zumfut I believe. She said there was a safe house there we could work out of."

"Ah, Zumfut is the main city of the third floor. That would make sense that the quests progressed through there." The girl on the bed pushed her body upwards with a swift motion so that she now sat on the edge, her legs dangling over the side.

"You said that floor is home to elves? They are at war with each other right?" A matching black cloak appeared over the white haired woman's shoulders as she approached the bed.

"That's correct. Most of the floor is comprised of a dangerous forest. An eerie mist appears that makes navigation extremely difficult. It's advised to remain on the paths. The third floor is what most beta testers believed to be the first quest line that encompasses multiple floors. This of course was before you both caused the anomaly with your Thieves Guild line. Players can side with either faction and follow the quests until the end." The two listening to the girl on the bed looked at each other for a few moments.

"We should probably avoid that at least until we see how Rose wants to proceed. For all we know the quests involved with her will bring us to one or both of the factions respectively." Brown curls mostly hidden under the hood of a brown cloak jostled slightly as the girl nodded in response.

"I believe that would be the wisest course too. You will report any further developments with the Thieves Guild to me right?"

"We will. When would you like to meet? How much time do you need?" After tapping a button a long bladed dagger came into view on the woman's hip while a sword attached onto her partners belt next to her.

"A few days at least is what I'm thinking. I will message you both once I have the initial work for the strategy guide complete. I do most of the writing in the field as I complete the quests. The front line group will be picking up steam so I will have to be on my toes." With a final push the girl hopped off the bed and walked towards the door.

"Hey, Argo?" She stopped at looked back at the man who called out to her.

"Yes, Jayce?"

"Be careful alright?" For a brief moment she wanted to respond with a lighthearted joke, but after the last week she knew he was genuinely concerned. Both he and his partner had become part of her life now. A mutual relationship where they fed her information about the unique quest line they had uncovered and in return she would share information about the world and events happening. More than that, they had become friends.

"I will Jayce, don't worry. Good luck up there. I'll see you both in a few days." Argo waved a hand and opened the door. She slipped out and let the door close behind her.

"She's a beta tester and arguably the most capable player in the game. She'll be fine." Jayce felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he forced a grim smile in return.

"I know, it's just…I don't know Jemza it's hard to explain. She's always…" Jayce trailed off not sure of the wording he should use to describe the conflicting feelings he had about watching Argo leave.

"Alone. She's a solo player and our friend so it's natural for you to worry." He nodded in response to Jemza. She was completely right and the fact that Argo played alone left him with a constant fear. For all her annoying tendencies, Jayce had come to like Argo's company. Not knowing if she was alright was hard to get used to.

"If anyone will survive this game, it's her." Jayce said it out loud hoping it would help crush the doubt in his mind. They had their own tasks ahead that would be no less dangerous than what Argo set out to do.

"So will we. So, perk up and let's go eat. We should be ready to move once it opens." Her arms wrapped around his neck and he reached up holding one of her hands, squeezing it tightly.

"Alright, let's go."

The pair exited the room a few minutes behind Argo and shut the door. They made their way downstairs and out onto the busy streets of Urbus. After a quick bite to eat and a final resupply run they would wait. According to the information Argo provided today would be the day. After almost a week since the battle in the Infiltrators Den they would be able to see Rose again and begin working on tracking down the next person responsible for her husband's death. If Argo was right then today would be the beginning of that search.

There was no reason to doubt her. Argo was always reliable when it came to information. So, the two ate, shopped, and waited. Waited in the central plaza of Urbus where the portal that for now only allowed travel back to floor one. In a short time, the front line players who now battled for not only their own lives, but the lives of all those trapped in Aincrad would open the third floor.


End file.
